Last year, when Cory Condello was a third grader at Weehawken’s Roosevelt School, he was tied for the top honor as the student who sold the most amount of candy during the Parent-Teacher Organization’s annual fundraising drive.
This year, the 9-year-old wanted the top prize all to himself.
“I wanted to win this year,” Condello said.
With the help of his father, Joseph, and his aunt, Joyce, Condello did exactly that, selling an amazing $1,757 worth of candy, candles and Christmas gift-wrapping paper to earn first place in the fundraising efforts, earning a host of prizes, including a DVD player.
Of course, in typical school fashion, many of the sales came from Condello’s aunt and father’s co-workers. According to Roosevelt School Principal Anthony LaBruno, parents are requested to help their children with the candy sales.
“We send a letter home telling the parents that we want them to assist in the sales,” LaBruno said. “For safety reasons, we don’t want the kids selling door-to-door. The children are given a catalog to bring home and they’re asked to sell items off the catalog. It makes things easier.”
Last year, the school’s PTO raised between $8,000 and $10,000 in the fundraising efforts that helped pay for the transportation for school field trips, student gifts, assembly programs, awards, and other activities.
“The fall fundraiser is always the biggest,” LaBruno said. “It’s still hard to raise money, because a lot of people are still recovering from 9/11. But we’ve been pretty steady throughout.”
However, in all of LaBruno’s many years as an administrator, he never saw a single sales total like the one the Condello family produced.
“It was unbelievable,” LaBruno said. “When I read that total, I thought someone made a mistake. I guess that’s someone working hard in that family. By far, that’s the biggest total generated by one person.”
Condello said, “I wanted to help my dad count the money, but he wouldn’t let me. I was counting it in my head. I’m still happy about it and happy we were able to help the school.”
Condello was happy about the prizes, too.
“We all wanted to have the DVD,” Condello said. “I’ll share it with my sister, Alyssa. She’s 13 and in eighth grade.”
So does Cory have a favorite candy of his own?
“I guess Snickers, but we weren’t selling those,” Condello said. “I love chocolate covered raisins too. We’re getting some of those.”
Condello said that all the candy talk is only getting him ready for the day that approaches – Halloween.
“I like Halloween,” Condello said. “I’m going to be a ninja.”
A ninja salesman, so it seems.
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