Stacie Tyler looks at her new daughter Cassidy Grace Tyler, who was the first baby born at Vanderbilt in 2001. Cassidy Grace was born a few seconds after midnight on Jan. 1. (Photo by Dana Johnson)
Del Greco teams with VCH
Tennessee Titan kicker Al Del Greco has teamed up with Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital to raise funds for the hospital through the sale of “Al’s Pals” T-shirts.
All five Nashville area Proffitt’s stores have the T-shirts, which sell for $10 each. The shirts are white and have a logo across the back, which reads “Al’s Pals – Making a Point to Help Kids!” A caricature of Del Greco also appears on the back.
Money raised from the sale of the T-shirts benefits Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital through the Children’s Miracle Network and the Del Greco Foundation, which helps several local children’s charities. Proffitt’s Department Stores, which agreed to be the sole point of sale for the T-shirts, will sell the shirts as long as the supply lasts.
This past year Del Greco helped raise more than $100,000 for Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital through his annual Al Del Greco Celebrity Golf Classic.
“Al has been such a wonderful friend to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital since he arrived in Nashville,” said Rosalie Boyd, associate director of development for the Children’s Hospital. “This is just one among many of the great things he has done for the benefit of sick and injured children across our region.”
Each year, over 8,500 children are treated on an inpatient basis and 170,000 as outpatients at VCH.
Tim Bucek, a local entrepreneur and long-time supporter of the Children’s Hospital, assists Del Greco with the Foundation and fund-raising. He said the T-shirt sale was part of a three-point attack to help raise funds for the hospital and other children’s charities.
Bucek got involved with the Del Greco Foundation after he played in Del Greco’s first golf tournament. “I told him if he ever needed help to give me a call,” he said. “And he did about six months later.”
In addition to the golf tournament and T-shirt sale, Bucek said a project was started in September called “Making a Point to Help Kids,” which allowed fans to pledge $1 or more for each point Del Greco scores during the season.
“We hope we can raise more than $150,000 this next year,” he said. “And 80 percent of that goes to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. The remaining 20 percent goes to the Del Greco Foundation to support other children’s charities.”