Manual parents Ms. Sondra Wojciak and Ms. Diana Tufaro recently founded the Crimson Mission, Inc., an “independent, non-profit organization that has been established to raise contributions to provide financial assistance to duPont Manual High School and the Youth Performing Arts School.”

Incorporated in early 2015, the organization seeks to reach out to the current and former Manual community to raise money for general academic purposes. The Crimson Mission will not fundraise for any particular cause, but individual organizations may submit requests for board approval.

According to Crimson Mission board member and former principal Dr. Beverly Keepers, though Manual has always depended on parent support for fundraising, the creation of this organization marks the largest philanthropic effort ever undertaken for the school.

“We have always relied so much on our parents who have organized the fundraising at this school, but there was never a large amount of money that was donated,” Keepers said. “It was raised by different kinds of sales: t-shirts and candy and other fundraising initiatives. There was always some kind of project going on.”

The Crimson Mission recently collaborated with the Manual Alumni Association to sell personalized, commemorative bricks for the Crimson Spirit Wall at Manual Stadium.

The organization will also sponsor their first annual Growing the Mission fundraising gala on March 5, 2016 at the Frazier History Museum.

Those interested in learning more about the Crimson Mission may join the organization’s Facebook group.