by June Portnoy

There was silence at Quarry Hill Elementary School’s gym on Valentine’s Day as all students and teachers waited eagerly for Mr. John Daidone, the school’s physical education teacher, to open the doors and step inside. Once he did, he was greeted by shouts of “Surprise!” along with a few surprise visitors including his wife, Karen, with their newborn baby, Dante, several family members, and two representatives from the American Heart Association (AHA).

This surprise assembly was held to recognize Mr. Daidone’s contribution as the school’s Hoops for Heart (HFH) Coordinator.  Thanks to his efforts, Quarry Hill raised $23,322.49 last year during its HFH campaign, ranking fifth in the nation. During the assembly, Dan Green, AHA Youth Market Director, shared some of the school’s statistics over the past eight years since Mr. Daidone came to the school, establishing HFH at Quarry Hill.

During the 2003-2004 school year, the school raised $7,986. Before last year, the previous high was in 2008-2009 when Quarry Hill raised $14,305. Last year the school surpassed its previous high by raising over $23,000. Since Mr. Daidone brought HFH to the school, Quarry Hill has raised a total of $88,799 for this worthy cause.

HFH is a national fundraising program sponsored jointly by the AHA and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD). It was established to address the problem of sudden cardiac arrest in high school, collage and professional sports.

HFH accomplishes several objectives. It teaches students to set and achieve goals and discover that they can make a difference. It also gives kids the opportunity to work on basketball skills and play exciting skills games. Mr. Daidone holds this fundraiser each year over a six-week period to coincide with the basketball unit taught in all grades at Quarry Hill.

HFH also funds critical research and educational programs that fight heart disease and stroke, our nation’s number one and number four killers.

“Every once in a while, we get the rare occasion when we can really celebrate and recognize a volunteer that we have who coordinates the Hoops for Heart event,” said Dan, who explained the meaning of a volunteer as “someone who gives of himself, helping others without expecting to receive anything in return.  That’s what Mr. Daidone does by coordinating the Hoops for Heart Program for Quarry Hill Elementary School.”

[Read more...]