PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt Football, UPMC Children's Hospital and SportClips celebrated raising over six figures in donations for pediatric cancer patients at Heinz Field Friday.
The fundraising idea began this summer as Pitt football senior Cal Adomitis wanted to find a way to enhance his hometown community. How can he use the avenues presented by the new NCAA Name Image Likeness rules to give back?
Adomitis approached Pitt Director of Media Operations and Community Engagement Celeste Welsh and Pitt Associate Athletic Director EJ Borghetti. What spawned from those conversations became Cal's Kids, an idea to raise money to support cancer patients at UPMC Children's Hospital.
But what's the hook? How can the Pitt long snapper convince people to donate money? Then Adomitis remembered the numerous times his roommates/teammates would ask 'how much money for us to cut your hair'?
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There's the hook.
Then on Friday the realization of raising $115,000, surpassing the goal of $94,000 (the 94 to match his uniform number). And with that the pay off. Five cancer patients from Children's Hospital helped cut his hair-along with Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi and Adomitis' parents.
"Today is a big win, this is important," Narduzzi said hustling back to Pittsburgh before leaving minutes later to attend an awards banquet with Kenny Pickett. "That is why I was here today. The commitment you made to the City of Pittsburgh, Children's Hospital. It's incredible."
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"It's nothing we had a conversation about, 'hey you should do that'. This is all by himself. This is him thinking about how he can impact his community."
A couple dozen teammates were there as well to support him.
"It's awesome," Adomitis said. "That's this squad we had this whole. That's why we've had the success that we've had. It's a tight group of guys. Everyone loves each other on this team. They all support each other in everything we do."
There was even a video message from a man, who was never his teammate, but shared the same home stadium.
"Just wanted to thank you so much for everything you are doing for the kids at Children's Hospital," said former Steeler Brett Keisel, who yearly shaves his beard to support CHP. "As someone who has been involved with them for a long time now and done some hairy things. I know first-hand how far this kind of stuff goes and how much of an impact it has. I am humbled by you. It's amazing you are doing this charity work."
"I'm not surprised, just exhilarated," Adomitis said. "I knew the City of Pittsburgh would step up and had it in them. It shows how truly generous the City is and how much they care about Children's Hospital."
Along with cutting his hair, the patients also signed letters of intent to join the football team, got their own jersey and football, a pep-talk from Narduzzi and ran out onto Heinz Field greeted by Pitt cheerleaders and members of the ACC Champion squad.
It was Adomitis' first haircut since his senior year at Central Catholic. While his parents may have wondered why he never did before, it turned out there was a bigger plan.
"It makes you so grateful for all of your blessings," Adomitis said of his interactions over the last few months with the patients. "It makes you realize that nothing is guaranteed, every day is a blessing. The opportunities I've had at the University of Pittsburgh and my whole life."
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"Not everyone gets those opportunities off the bat that I got. That is a massive realization through getting to know some of the kids at Children's."
In year one of the new rules, Adomitis set the bar high. Wouldn't it be great if year-after-year, future Panthers try to outdo him.
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