This past Sunday, June 21, the group came together via video chat for their largest-ever charity fundraiser to date.
With the help of a celebrity Q&A by City legend Paul Dickov, the Supporters Club attracted over 46 virtual “attendees” to the online event — along with countless other City fans from around the world donating virtually.
The end result? The club’s largest fundraiser to date, with a total donation haul to charities of $17,025 (approximately £13,650).
New York Sky Blues leadership joined with the local City in the Community chapter to put together an hour-and-a-half program that featured auctions for player-signed memorabilia, speakers from the local organizations who would receive the funds, and music by club member Coyle Girelli, of the indie band the Chevin.
The main event of the afternoon, though, culminated with a 30-minute member-hosted Q&A session with Paul Dickov, in which the club legend touched on memories of his career’s pivotal moments, and his deep connection to the club.
“I say I’m not just an ex-Man City player,” Dickov said, “I’m a Man City fan. My kids have grown up Man City fans.”
That community spirit of the club extended to the New York Sky Blues’ efforts, then, as they directed their efforts towards the local City in the Community organization, as well as a handful of other local organizations fighting food insecurity.
In total, the event raised the following:
- $2,500 to Friends In Service to Humanity (FISH), a food bank/homeless shelter in Torrington, northwest Connecticut. New York Sky blues chairman John Pepper also secured a 50 percent match from his company, Dymax Corporation, to take this to $3,750 total.
- $10,000 to the New York Common Pantry (NYCP), an organization flighting poverty and food insecurity. The organization’s Executive Director, Stephen Grimaldi, is a member of both New York Sky Blues and nearby Garden State Blues in New Jersey. NYCP also works closely with Man City sister club, NYCFC.
- $1,060 in event ticket sales and $1,370 earned through auction items furnished by the club to City in the Community, headed locally by Barry O’Driscoll, totaling $2,430.
In addition, other fans donated another $845 throughout the event:
- $295 to New York Common Pantry
- $375 to City in the Community
- $175 to FISH
‘It was great to be involved in the New York Supporters Club and CITC digital fundraiser event on Sunday, and to hear they’ve now raised over $17,000 for charities in the region is amazing,” says Dickov.
“We’re lucky to have such active and dedicated fans contributing to their local community initiatives!”
The video above features a thank you from the New York Sky Blues, and messages on how meaningful the event was to the group during a time when they’re physically separated.
If you’d like to organize a similar event, or get involved in your local Manchester City Official Supporters Club, visit supportersclubs.mancity.com.
