Mar 12, 2024 By Mark Hofmann 4 min read

The annual Heart to Hope telethon had another successful year fundraising for Connellsville Area Community Ministries, surpassing its $50,000 goal.

“I’m over the moon with the wonderful people who supported us, and the team who put on the telethon was wonderful,” said Dana Check, the executive director of Connellsville Area Community Ministries.

The telethon, in its sixth year, helps to fund CACM’s mission to be the place for people to go whenever they are in need.

Last year, the telethon raised $53,000, surpassing the $50,000 goal. Organizers kept the goal the same this year, and ended the telethon having raised even more.

There was $59,000 at the end of the show on Saturday, and by Monday morning, Check said the total was around $62,000.

“And the donations are still coming in,” said Mary Sampey, the development coordinator with CACM and one of the co-hosts of the event. “I’m very surprised and humbled. I knew we were reaching our goal around the last hour, but to go over $60,000 is just incredible.”

“It’s an amazing thing what can happen when the community comes together for an important cause,” said Connellsville Mayor Greg Lincoln, adding that not only reaching, but surpassing the goal in an eight-hour period is impressive. “You’re not donating to the ministries, you’re giving through the ministries, and they turn it around into some kind of support.”

“We will take it and do as much good with it as possible,” Sampey said. “It’s really a testament to people’s faith in the ministries, and they trust us with the money.”

Sampey said one of the highlights for her was bittersweet: a donation of $4,200 from the Angela Marie Phillips Memorial Fund.

Phillips is Sampey’s sister who passed away in 2016.

The telethon also honored a number of well-known locals who died since 2023’s event, including Connellsville Area School District teacher and coach Jamie McPoyle, Mount Pleasant Borough Manager Jeff Landy, Bud Murphy’s owner Robin Bubarth and local journalist Joe Ambramowitz.

“To remember those we’ve lost, it’s very touching,” Sampey said, adding a memorial video put together by the telethon’s director/producer Rick Fike made her feel their presence at the event.

On a lighter note, Sampey was honored to present the telethon’s annual Biggest Heart Award to Frank Jacobyansky, a local dentist who also performs a juggling act at the telethon.

“He’s a really good person and is involved with the city,” Sampey said, adding that, when Jacobyansky found out he was receiving the award, he didn’t think he deserved it.

“That’s how I knew he deserved it,” she said.

Check said she was happy to introduce veteran Ron Shroyer, who will come to CACM twice a month to speak with other area veterans about how to seek out assistance.

“We prayed to have this man come here because [veterans’ assistance] is something we have not tapped into,” Check said.

Throughout the telethon Lincoln and his daughter Amelia traveled to area watch parties, which include businesses that are raising funds for the telethon.

“I got to spend the day with my daughter, so any time your teenage daughter wants to hang out with you to help the community, that’s a proud moment for me,” Lincoln said, adding that he was able to bring back $5,500 in donations from the watch parties. “I’m very thankful for our business owners. We have a good, solid community here in Connellsville. Whenever there’s a need, everyone steps up.”

Check said the event was a chance for the CACM family to all come together and celebrate the ministries’ milestone of 50 years, continuing planning for the future and receiving the funds to do it.

“We way surpassed the amount of money we wanted to raise,” Check said. “A little bit of prayer beforehand, and God delivered.”

Lincoln said anyone can donate to the Connellsville Area Community Ministries throughout the year by visiting www.connmin.org/.