Ugly sweater, beautiful cause
Bar Crawl to raise donations for NRHS Caring Closet
This was just a small portion of the more than 200 participants of the inaugural Ugly Sweater Charity Bar Crawl, hosted and organized last year by resident Christine Koprowski, not pictured. Back by popular demand, Koprowski is hosting it again this year Nov. 23 to benefit the North Royalton High School Caring Closet. File photo by JAIME ANTON
Residents can join in the holiday cheer while also helping stock the North Royalton High School’s Caring Closet, which provides clothing and food to students in need, by participating in the Ugly Christmas Sweater Charity Bar Crawl on Nov. 23. Tickets are on sale now. File photo by JAIME ANTON
NORTH ROYALTON – By simply sporting an ugly Christmas sweater and raising a glass, you can do a beautiful thing and help clothe and feed high school students in need.
Back by popular demand, local mom Christine Koprowski is once again organizing an ugly sweater bar crawl as a way to not only spread holiday cheer in her hometown but also help stock the North Royalton High School’s Caring Closet just in time for Christmas.
Last year’s event raised over $2,000 in cash and loads of donations, and several bar owners, inspired by the spirit of giving, joined in offering discounts on drinks and food to help the cause and even gave to charities of their own choosing on the side as a way to pay it forward further.
The Caring Closest is the charity at the heart of this year’s event. The Caring Closet discreetly offers clothing, shoes, toiletries, school supplies and snacks to high schoolers in need.
The Ugly Christmas Sweater Charity Bar Crawl will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23.
Tickets are $25 and are sold at the participating bars, which include the Inn Between, Firehouse, Sand Trap, Sip ‘N Post, Towne Tavern, Cleat’s, Mario’s, Dino’s, Divot’s, The 3 Spot and Niko’s. During the crawl, buses will rotate between each bar every 15 minutes.
For those who cannot attend but want to contribute, donation boxes will be set up at each bar in the few weeks leading up to the event so residents can drop off goods. Donations in need include socks, dress clothing, men and women’s underwear, protein bars, snacks, drinks, single serving mac and cheese, toilet paper and laundry soap.
A giving tree will also be set up at The 3 Spot supporting local North Royalton families.
Koprowski said it was a very fun and rewarding event, so she couldn’t resist hosting it again.
“It was a lot of fun, and it’s all going to the North Royalton schools and families. I think the best part I got out of it was the kids sending thank you cards. It was very touching, and the outpouring and outreach of everyone was too,” she said. “Everyone wanted to do it again because it was such a great time. But the need there is significant, too, it really is.”
Mark Costello, co-owner of Dino’s, said the bar was happy to participate once again because community is what it’s all about.
“Anything we can do to help families in the community, especially children who need clothing or food, we’ll do whatever we can,” he said. “The bar crawl is a great event for adults, but it’s a great cause too.”
Monetary donations are greatly appreciated year round at the NR Caring Closet and can be mailed to the North Royalton High School at 14713 Ridge Road.
Back by popular demand, local mom Christine Koprowski is once again organizing an ugly sweater bar crawl as a way to not only spread holiday cheer in her hometown but also help stock the North Royalton High School’s Caring Closet just in time for Christmas.
Last year’s event raised over $2,000 in cash and loads of donations, and several bar owners, inspired by the spirit of giving, joined in offering discounts on drinks and food to help the cause and even gave to charities of their own choosing on the side as a way to pay it forward further.
The Caring Closest is the charity at the heart of this year’s event. The Caring Closet discreetly offers clothing, shoes, toiletries, school supplies and snacks to high schoolers in need.
The Ugly Christmas Sweater Charity Bar Crawl will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23.
Tickets are $25 and are sold at the participating bars, which include the Inn Between, Firehouse, Sand Trap, Sip ‘N Post, Towne Tavern, Cleat’s, Mario’s, Dino’s, Divot’s, The 3 Spot and Niko’s. During the crawl, buses will rotate between each bar every 15 minutes.
For those who cannot attend but want to contribute, donation boxes will be set up at each bar in the few weeks leading up to the event so residents can drop off goods. Donations in need include socks, dress clothing, men and women’s underwear, protein bars, snacks, drinks, single serving mac and cheese, toilet paper and laundry soap.
A giving tree will also be set up at The 3 Spot supporting local North Royalton families.
Koprowski said it was a very fun and rewarding event, so she couldn’t resist hosting it again.
“It was a lot of fun, and it’s all going to the North Royalton schools and families. I think the best part I got out of it was the kids sending thank you cards. It was very touching, and the outpouring and outreach of everyone was too,” she said. “Everyone wanted to do it again because it was such a great time. But the need there is significant, too, it really is.”
Mark Costello, co-owner of Dino’s, said the bar was happy to participate once again because community is what it’s all about.
“Anything we can do to help families in the community, especially children who need clothing or food, we’ll do whatever we can,” he said. “The bar crawl is a great event for adults, but it’s a great cause too.”
Monetary donations are greatly appreciated year round at the NR Caring Closet and can be mailed to the North Royalton High School at 14713 Ridge Road.