Perch-A-Thon raises $7,000 for Bunnell Elementary School

The fundraiser also received 80 pounds in food donations.

By Sierra Williams
| 11:00 a.m. August 29, 2023

The To-Do Dudes volunteered their time to help out with the Perch-A-Thon fundraiser. From left to right: Erik Libby, Michael Johnson, Isabella Pitts and Matthew Johnson. Photo by Sierra Williams

The Full House Band played at Veteran's Park on Sunday, Aug. 27 at the Perch-A-Thon. Photo by Sierra Williams

The Full House Band members at the Perch-A-Thon: Oleg Troyansky on piano and Robert Ricketts on vocals and guitar. Photo by Sierra Williams

Lewis Taylor plays bass and Bradley Cohen on saxophone with The Full House Band. Photo by Sierra Williams

Sterling Mattern playing drums for The Full House Band. Photo by Sierra Williams

Local businesses donated $200 each to to help sponsor the fundraiser and were featured on the 40-foot long banner. Photo by Sierra Williams

Annmarie Dalessio hits the switch to lower her husband Chris back down to Earth. Photo by Sierra Williams

Chris Dalessio stepped off the Perch-A-Thon at 2:01 p.m. on Aug. 27, 45 hours after he went up. Photo by Sierra Williams

Chris and Annmarie Dalessio share a kiss after 45 hours. Photo by Sierra Williams

Chris Dalessio after steps off the Perch-A-Thon after spending 45 hours in the air. Photo by Sierra Williams

Cooper Fink, 8, gets his face painted by Forren Lazzano, 51, during the Perch-A-Thon. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Chris Dalessio, 49, looks at the crowd from the basket. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Volunteers and attendees share a prayer with Chris Dalessio prior to him being raised up for 45 hours. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Bunnell Assistant Principal Eron Riley and former Principal Marcus Sanfilippo stand with Chris Dalessio prior to him being lifted up. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Flagler Beach Mayor Suzie Johnston lifted the basket to start the clock for the 45-hour journey. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Chris Dalessio, 49, looks down at the Perch-A-Thon sponsor list. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Bunnell Elementary School Assistant Principal Eron Riley, 30, throws a water ball. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Sawyer Fink, 9, throws a water ball at the Perch-A-Thon basket. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Cameron Coats, 21, gives his best shot with the water ball. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Carlee Falany, 9, gets her face painted by Doreen Lazzano, 51. Photo by Jake Montgomery

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

Flagler Beach resident Chris Dalessio, 49, stepped off the boom lift amid claps and cheers at precisely 2:01 p.m. on Aug. 27.

Dalessio spent exactly 45 hours 40 feet in the air — from 5 p.m. Aug 25 to 2 p.m. Aug 27 — in a boom lift at Veteran's Park in Flagler Beach. He said that while he was happy to step up to the plate — or rather, go up in the air — to help out kids, he was glad to be down on the ground again.

"I enjoyed it. The weather was perfect," he said. "I should have used more sunblock, like my wife said."

All of the proceeds from Dalessio's "Perch-A-Thon" fundraiser will go to Bunnell Elementary School. The Perch-A-Thon raised $7,000, plus 80 pounds of food donations and about eight boxes of school supplies.

Dalessio said his church, Salty Church in Flagler Beach, had inspired him to do a fundraiser when it adopted BES as its project school. But it wasn’t until he talked to his friend and the former BES Principal Marcus Sanfilippo about the school’s $15,000 in unpaid lunches that Dalessio knew how he could help.

The Perch-A-Thon didn't meet its goal, but Dalessio said that's OK: The money raised will still help free up funding for other needs the school and kids might have.

Dalessio said he reached out to businesses and community members to sponsor and volunteer for the fundraiser.

The To-Do Dudes, a college and high school student company founded by Flagler County high school graduates, was one of the businesses that volunteered to help. Founder Erik Libby said the To-Do Dudes regularly partner with the Flagler County Education Foundation, so helping with the Perch-A-Thon was a no-brainer.

Libby heard about it because he and Dalessio both attend Salty Church.

"[Chris] has such a heart for people and just the community and wanting to raise money for students," Libby said. "[This is] a great way to do it and get the community involved around it."

To-Do Dudes employees stood on the sidewalks and corners around Veteran's Park with donation buckets and sold raffle tickets. Isabella Pitts and brothers Michael and Matthew Johnson, all 17-year-old FPC students, said it was a great opportunity to help their community.

"We all agree that giving back to our community is really important," Michael Johnson said. "Not only as our mission as our company, but also the mission in ourselves."

The community regularly comes together in times of need, Dalessio said, and the support for the Perch-A-Thon just makes him think about what his next project could be. He said the event would not have been possible without support from the community and Flagler Beach businesses.

"When I went there and spoke to [the business owners], there was no hesitation," Dalessio said. "Flagler Beach is known for taking care of each other and taking care of their community."