WEST MILFORD — The Make a Change Club (MACC) of Macopin Middle School hosted its third annual Give a Goat Night on Friday, Jan. 25.
MACC Advisor Krista Provost said over 375 students, siblings, and parents attended the event, “excited to see the teachers make fools of themselves” for two great causes: to raise money to buy goats for villages in South America, and start up the new West Milford MACC Disaster Relief Fund.
Provost said she and fellow Macopin teacher Joe Andriulli, who started the Make a Change Club in 2010, were “beyond excited” with the staff turnout this year, as more than 30 teachers, staff members and administrators got involved for the night. As a special twist, they decided to bring back an old Macopin tradition for the event- Super Teams.
To open the evening, there was a field hockey game between the West Milford girls field hockey team and West Milford football players, including a halftime show featuring the West Milford cheerleaders. A few staff members played in the game as well. The exciting game was close until the very end when the football players scored in the final seconds to squeak out the win.
Then the Super Teams were introduced.
Super Team #1: “Old School," wearing their workout gear: shorts, gym socks, sneakers, ‘old school’ t-shirts signed by their fans, and sweatbands. Members were Principal Mary Reinhold, Vice Principal Mark Citro, Keri Accavallo, Melissa Cavagnino, Gregory Drennan, Richard Dygos, Leslie Finke, and Joseph Trentacosta.
Super Team #2: “Here Comes Treble” wore matching musically-themed t-shirts and of course, their instruments: Matthew Gramata-bass drum, Kathleen Hewins-clarinet, Susan Kaczor-flute, Erica McPartland-alto saxophone, Lorraine Rosenblatt-tambourine and Ken Ryerson-saxophone.
Super Team #3: “Artie’s Argyle Attack” dressed in, you guessed it, argyle sweater vests, shorts, and matching argyle knee socks: Artie Joecks - orange, Abby Alexander- red, Linda Connolly- light blue, Christian Conway- green, Nicole Klosz- dark blue, Michelle Lugerner- yellow, Sharon Murphy- purple, and Joan Schaap- pink.
Super Team #4: The “Macopin Marvels” were dressed in Superhero costumes- Joe Andriulli (MACC advisor) as the Hulk, Krista Provost (MACC advisor) as Batwoman, Mary Bozenmayer as Supergirl, Colleen Czulada as Wonder Woman, Nicole D'Elio as Lady Thor, Mark Nowacki as Captain America, and Susan Zangara as Fantastic 4 Invisible Woman.
The Super Teams competed in various events including Fire Suit Shoot Relay, Human Wheelbarrow Race, Carol Rieder Cake Eating Contest, Saran Wrap Challenge, Wobbly Broomstick, Ritz Cracker Question Challenge, and the Back Seat Driver Obstacle Course. Students were able to participate in the fun as well as observe. They were chosen from the audience to represent each Super Team and competed in a pie eating contest and the Ritz Cracker Challenge to earn team points.
Each Super Team competed fiercely. “Here Comes Treble” took an early lead utilizing their instrumentally-experienced upper body strength in the Human Wheelbarrow Race, and worked together like the keys of a well-tuned piano, dominating most of the evening, but they couldn’t hold on to the lead when the “Macopin Marvels” sent in their ringer, Andriulli/Hulk who effortlessly ate the entire cake in the Cake Eating Contest. “Artie’s Argyle Attack” was seen playing a little dirty during the Fire Suit Shoot Relay when they tried to thwart the lead of the “Old School” team by tossing their basketball out of reach, and they started inching ahead in points when Joecks was one of the first to hop across the finish line in his Saran-Wrap Challenge cocoon. But the “Old School” team steadily built up their points and commandingly pulled ahead of the rest in the Ritz Cracker Question Challenge, becoming the champion team of the evening. It was all fun and games, with the emphasis on fun.
There were plenty of ways to support the cause, including a bake sale and other refreshments. A few Macopin student entrepreneurs involved with the TREP$ program set up tables in the hallway to take advantage of the opportunity to sell their wares. The root beer floats were a big hit with the crowd!
According to Andriulli, the fundraiser totals are about $3,600 so far, meeting the club’s goal to start the MACC Disaster Relief Fund for West Milford Township with $1,500.
“And this year we are looking to purchase 30 goats, which makes this the most successful ‘Give a Goat Night’ yet,” said Andriulli.
The Make A Change Club was started by Andriulli and Provost who wanted to create a persuasive writing club coupled with student activism. They came up with the Make a Change Club whose mission is to make necessary changes in the local, national, and global communities through student voice and writing.
Did you enjoy the night? Tell us about it at westmilfordmessenger.com.