Twelve years ago FCNews launched its Fantasy Football for a Cause Charity league with the idea of inviting 12 to 14 companies to have some fun while at the same time doing some good. We have had companies that have participated every year from the outset. We’ve had retailers, distributors and manufacturers compete. The chosen causes range from large national organizations—cancer, Alzheimer’s, autism, etc.—to local high schools and food banks to upstart assistance programs. (Shameless plug: For information on having a team for the 2026 season, please reach out to me. The slots are limited and fill up in August.)
Anyhow…for the first time since we launched the league, FCNews captured top honors in 2025. While Dustin and I collaborated on drafting our team, I can’t take any credit for our victory as he expertly managed the squad week in and week out.
Over the years we have played for a variety of causes, but last year we played for a small non-profit called The Parsons Drama Club, a 501(c)(3) founded by the mother/daughter duo of Adriana and Stella Parsons. It is dedicated to supporting young actors by providing access to top-tier training from coaches, schools and organizations. The club gathers information and connects young actors (typically ages 8 and up) with the most appropriate programs. Instead of direct funding, the nonprofit partners directly with acting schools to provide scholarships for young actors.
The organization collaborates with industry veterans, such as acclaimed acting coach John D’Aquino, to offer episodic prep and on-camera acting intensives. D’Aquino, a veteran actor and acting coach, is known for his work on “Hannah Montana,” “Cory in the House,” “Seinfeld,” “NCIS” and “CSI”.
Rather than play for a national cause where, let’s face it, our contribution is not going to cure any terminal disease, we chose The Parsons Drama Club for a couple of reasons. First, I’ve personally known Adriana for more than five years. She and her daughter, already an accomplished performer in her own right, have done some work for us, particularly at Surfaces. Her resume on the tech side is impressive, but her desire to make a difference is admirable.
I met D’Aquino this past January when we presented Parsons Drama Club with a $17,500 check—the proceeds from our victory. I learned a little about what he does and the entertainment industry in general. For most, acting is a closed industry. You don’t get a few roles in your high school play and then become ready for prime time. “Making it” requires hours of extensive training and coaching—almost always at a significant expense. To put it bluntly, those who do not have the wherewithal are probably not going to make it to the big screen, TV or Broadway.
That’s where The Parsons Drama Club comes in. Adriana and Stella work with schools like D’Aquino’s to provide scholarships to those talented kids in need of a break. This year three kids were given scholarships to D’Aquino’s film camp, a two-week program called Camp Hollywood. The program consists of both virtual and hands-on training followed by the opportunities for the kids to appear in a short film written by D’Aquino and his team. Actors are prepared for everything from the audition to the shoot. Those films will not win an Oscar, but it serves as something more important: a demo reel to send to casting directors for potential roles.
When I met D’Aquino in January, he told me I needed to attend Camp Hollywood for a few days. No, not to embark on a new career (I have a face for radio) but to observe the kids in action as they shoot their movie. He wanted me to see the fruits of our donation.
I met a bunch of these kids. Their personalities are bigger than the hair of an ’80s rock band. Their enthusiasm was more contagious than COVID-19 in 2020. Their energy was greater than a tornado rattling through the Midwest. They already ooze stardom. They have “it.” You can’t help but root for them. Admittedly, most are well bred and have parents who wrote the check. The Parsons Drama Club provides entrée to this world for similar kids whose parents may just not have the pen.
While on the set, D’Aquino gave me an opportunity to get in front of the camera as an extra. (Ya gotta start somewhere.) It was a diner-type setting where I was directed to sit in a booth with my make-believe family. “All you do is sit there and repeatedly mouth the word “watermelon” because that word makes you mouth move where it appears you’re in a conversation.” I only caused three re-shoots because I was compelled to hand my “daughter” a salt shaker that made the slightest of unwanted noise. (I wanted to act!) Eventually I was told to hold my hands wide like I was describing a big fish that I caught—obviously a ploy so I wouldn’t touch anything.
It’s rewarding to see the impact of your contributions. But you all already know that. So a couple of takeaways here: 1. For more information on The Parsons Drama Club, or if you have a child interested in high-level acting classes or to make a donation, visit parsonsdramaclub.com. 2. If you want a spot in this year’s charity league, reach out to me at steve@fcnews.net.
