Photo by Shelley Hanson The Circus Saints and Sinners on Wednesday pledge to donate $100,000 to the new WVU Medicine Golisano Children's Center under construction in Wheeling. From left are Daniel Young and Paul Smith; Jessica Moore, associate vice president of foundation and community relations for WVU Medicine; and Bob Contraguerro, vice president of Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration. Proceeds from the club’s annual Party On The Plaza music festival will fund the ongoing pledge.

WHEELING – The Circus Saints and Sinners has pledged to donate $100,000 to the new WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Center under construction in Wheeling.

Paul Smith, chairman and founder of the Party on the Plaza music festival, said funds raised during the annual event will go toward the pledge.

“We’re happy to continue our support of WVU Medicine Children’s. We’re very excited about the opening of this new center because it will allow children and families here in the valley to receive these services here at home and eliminate some trips to Morgantown,” he said.

Smith said the next Party on the Plaza is scheduled for July 11 in Wheeling.

He said the Saints and Sinners made a $150,000 pledge in past years to help the children’s hospital in Morgantown.

“This is a continuation of our support of WVU Medicine Children’s,” he added.

Bob Contraguerro, vice president of Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration, said his company is the title sponsor of Party on the Plaza.

He said that as co-chairman of the event, he helped decide where the donation would go.

“This is our sixth year, and every year we’ve been paying the pledge down in Morgantown. Now it’s being paid off, and we’re pledged to do this, and we’ll be doing it for several more years,” Contraguerro said. “To have this facility here in Wheeling is going to be so great for the community and families.”

Jessica Moore, associate vice president of foundation and community relations for WVU Medicine, said the hospital is excited about the Circus Saints and Sinners donation.

As a thank-you, a circus-themed digital mural created by students at West Liberty University will be placed in the new WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Robert Sonneborn Family Pediatric Outpatient Center at Wheeling Hospital.

Moore said officials hope to have the center up and running by the end of the year.