Jay Grossman

hometownlife.com

Groves High School Principal Cathy Hurley has plenty of reasons to smile these days … even if she’s feeling a bit “frosted.”

Students, staff and members of the Groves community rallied together over the past seven days to raise a whopping $31,429.34 during the school’s second annual Charity Week — placing the Birmingham school tops in the state for the fundraising week.

The money is going to one of her favorite charities, the Michigan Chapter of Make-A-Wish.

And all it cost her was a pie in the face.

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“It has just been an amazing week,” said Hurley, who agreed to take the pie in the face if the school topped $25,000. “We have such incredible students — the kids put in a lot of time and effort to make this week a total success."

The week included corny fun-filled events, such as a Mr. Wylie Man-geant beauty contest involving male contestants (“More muscle! Less heel!”).

There also was a Coin Stall in which students would dump a pile of coins on a teacher’s desk — and the teacher had to count the coins wearing oven mitts before class could start.

Groves Student Congress members Emily Lulkin and Grace Sleder were part of the team of students that organized the events throughout the week.

“It’s been a really crazy week,” Sleder said. “We had so many students working on different committees and different events, but it all came together. And the best part was everyone went out their way to help out each other.”

Added Lulkin, “I’m so proud and amazed by our school! I couldn’t imagine a better outcome.”

All of it was for a good cause, leading up to Thursday’s main event in the school auditorium. One teacher agreed to get a buzz cut, several other teachers had green goop dumped on their heads … and then there was the pie.

Hurley confessed she’s not a real pie lover. But there she stood in center court as none other than Birmingham Schools Supt. Dr. Dan Nerad had the pleasure of doing the tossing.

“Don’t look so happy!” she screamed at her boss, before taking the pie.

Not only did Hurley take a pie, but she also tossed a pie — and the recipient was Nerad. One of the best sports in the business, Nerad rolled up his sleeves, took off his glasses and accepted the pie in the face with total grace and class.

“You are making a huge difference,” Nerad told the student-packed auditorium. “Go Groves High School!”

Contact Jay Grossman: jgrossman@hometownlife.com | 586-826-7030 | Twitter: @BhmEccentric