Anonymous Donor Replaces Stolen Parcells Drama Club Funds

Following the theft of more than $1,100 from a fundraiser held to support 's drama club, an anonymous donor matched and replaced the funds, Principal Mark Mulholland said. 

The donor was a former Parcells student who said drama club was important to him during his time there, Mulholland said, noting not even he knows the identification of the donor.

A reporter from Local 4 TV brought the donation into drama club director and teacher Shawn Kifer after being contacted by the donor. Kifer said he is happy as are the students that the money was replaced. 

"It's definitely a bit of a releif," he said, noting how hard the students worked on their individual performances for the fundraiser. "I was definitely beating myself up about it."

The funds are to be used to upgrade props and costumes for the organization, as well as obtain the rights to certain songs and such for performances, Kifer said. 

Kifer, who has taught at Parcells since 2001, said theft has never been an issue for the drama club fundraiser. This fundraiser, in which students performed individual songs and then followed with a talk show style interview, was the first of its kind. Each student had a partner in the audience that passed a bucket through the crowd for donations, he said. 

"Moving forward we'll take precautions," Kifer said, explaining security was never a problem. "(The students) are happy and thrilled..."

are still investigating the theft, which happened during an encore performance at the fundraiser inside the school March 18. Several students were counting the money they had raised in one room and left to watch the encore performance, leaving the cash and donations behind. 

Upon returning, the students discovered the donations to be missing along with a camcorder and a box of petty cash that was out of sight in a closed drawer. About 100 people attended the fundraiser and a pickup game of basketball was going on in the gym, according to police. 

Many people were interviewed about whether they saw anyone suspicious or possible suspects but no one had information, according to a police report.