Not many things can convince an 8-year-old to part with a fistful of cash. But Emily Morrison, 8, of Millvale, knows a deal when she sees it.

When students at Reserve Primary in Shaler Area School District voted by putting money in jugs to decide what costume their principal would wear for Halloween, Emily stuffed the ballot box.

"I wanted to see a seven-foot bunny," she said in a tone that implied, "Doesn't everyone?" She was not disappointed.

At nearly 6 feet 5 inches tall, Principal Rick Pelkofer is a few "hares" short of 7 feet. Still, the sight impressed the school's 180 children, many of whom stood no higher than Mr. Pelkofer's fluffy cottontail. Reserve's students, parents and staff didn't know until he hopped out the door, towering over a line of tiny witches and ghosts, whether a giant bunny, chicken, gorilla or Abe Lincoln would lead their annual parade.

Mr. Pelkofer, of Scott, agreed to dress for Halloween as a fundraiser for the school's Caring Team. The team raises money for Highmark Caring Place, a center for grieving children, adolescents and their families. The Caring Place provides services at no cost, and has four locations in the state, including Downtown Pittsburgh and Warrendale in Marshall.

The good-natured principal has been shadowed by students during Principal for a Day and been knocked sideways by Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in Steelers-faculty basketball games, all for the Caring Place. And he hasn't trodden that dubious path alone. Reserve teachers have occasionally dressed in mismatched, wild clothes and teased their hair into crazy 'dos to further the cause.

"I was also willing to dress as a hula dancer or fairy princess, but I knew that would skew the vote," Mr. Pelkofer said. His extra-large size was no small concern. "I was worried this outfit might go up to my shins."

Reserve has participated as a Caring Team school since 1991, when it started raising money for CHIP, the health insurance program for uninsured or underinsured children. Since then, the school, the smallest by enrollment of Shaler Area's eight schools, has raised more than $121,000 for CHIP and the Caring Place; that money has been matched dollar for dollar by Highmark. The Halloween 'election' netted about $200, third-grade teacher Kim Young said.

Each year since 1997, Reserve has raised the most money per student among the schools that participate in the Caring Team in Southwestern Pennsylvania, said Fasy Greevy, manager of Special Initiatives for Caring Place. Last year about 200 schools in the region participated. Caring Team schools will observe Children's Grief Awareness Day on Nov. 19.

Reserve teachers annually choose two student representatives to head fundraising. This year's representatives are third-graders Erin Senge, 9, and Luke Maurer, 9, both of Reserve. Luke and Erin brainstormed the Halloween costume fundraiser, and with their parents' help, have held fundraisers such as a giant prize raffle, Bubble Gum Day, penny jugs, and pie sales.

The school's Caring Team families visit one of the Caring Place sites before fundraising begins. Sometimes other Reserve parents take field trips. Rarely does anyone leave dry-eyed.

Erin recalled seeing quilts hanging on the walls. "The families that go there made the quilts," she said. "The quilts [tell a story] about the person they lost. It made me think a lot about how hard that would be, kids losing someone."

Sometimes, Reserve's own residents benefit from the agency's services. After Mary Ellen Geyer's daughter Victoria McCallum died, she took her other children to Caring Place. It was such an important part of their healing that they attended for five years. "I was, and am, so proud of Reserve for their efforts," said Mrs. Geyer, "and that we could benefit, but also contribute because we were a family at the school."

"We send the message that it's good to be kind and charitable. Maybe we don't all have a lot, but we can always share." Mr. Pelkofer said.

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