Nazareth Academy High School raised $172,603.47 for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia during the recent Naz-A-Thon.
Specifically, the money will go to CHOP’s Child Life Department, the Genetics program and the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. .
Naz-A-Thon began in 2014 – COVID canceled it in 2020 and 2021 – and the girls have raised more than $1.2 million for CHOP over the years.
Bella Davies was the Senior Executive of Operations for this year’s Naz-A-Thon, which took place for 12 hours in the school gym on April 4. She was backed by 33 executives and support from other students.
The event featured face painting; Utter’s pancakes; dodgeball; rock, paper, scissors; more than 50 raffle baskets; a raffle for tickets to a Luke Bryan concert and a Phillies game; a hole-in-one golf challenge; a lip sync battle; a DJ; photo booth; appearances by CHOP “miracle” families; and, of course, dancing. Signs such as “Dance Today for a Better Tomorrow” hung on the gym walls.
Representatives from CHOP’s community fundraising department were on hand, and St. Katharine Drexel Elementary School made a donation of $1,140 raised during a dress-down day.
Planning for this year’s Naz-A-Thon began when Davies assumed her position last May. Money was raised in numerous ways, including merchandise sales, dine-outs and trips to Phillies and 76ers games.
“Nazareth is really rooted in community service,” Davies said. “We want to make a difference in people’s lives.”
Cheryl Sylvester has been the faculty moderator from the beginning, and is now joined by Hager Khowessa.
“It’s still going strong,” Sylvester said. “Girls want to get involved right away as freshmen.”
To make a donation, go to nazathon.com. ••
