On the Bright Side: Area store manager dresses in drag for charity

On the Bright Side

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January 12, 2012

By Jake Palmateer Staff Writer The Daily Star Thu Jan 12, 2012, 02:30 AM EST

ONEONTA _ "Hi, honey!"

The cat calls rang out at the Oneonta Stewart's Shop on Main Street on Wednesday as store manager Matt Sivacek lived up to a pledge to do something "humiliating" if the store exceeded $1,000 in donations for a charitable cause.

The Stewarts' Holiday Match program, which runs from Thanksgiving Day to Christmas Day, is designed to help local charities or nonprofit groups that focus on children.

Sivacek said he wanted to inspire his store to exceed a $1,000 in donations collected in plastic jug near a cash register. He promised his staff he would reward them if they were able to encourage customers to donate beyond that amount.

When the cash was counted, the store had raised nearly $1,300 through customer donations.

"My crew just absolutely stepped up," Sivacek, 35, of Worcester, said. "They killed it this year."

He said he let his staff members choose their reward, and they chose having their manager dress like a woman for the day.

So Sivacek bought a pink dress at T.J. Maxx, and customers were told by store employees that Wednesday would be the day he would be sporting his new attire. The store has a lot of regular customers, many of whom were looking forward to see Sivacek in a dress, the manager said Wednesday.

"A lot of them knew," he said. "They are having a lot of fun at my expense."

Sivacek said he was torn between a brown dress and a pink one.

"I figure if I'm going to do it, I'm going to go all out," he said.

He was also wearing a baseball cap wig and chest enhancements.

Friend George Stockdale was among the customers Wednesday cheering on Sivacek.

"He did a great thing," Stockdale, 68, of Worcester, said.

Stockdale, who works at Endwell Rug, said Sivacek is a great guy with an eye toward helping the community.

"We heard about it, and we came here for lunch," he said.

Sivacek said he was proud of his staff and customers.

"I'm very happy, especially in the times that we are in," Sivacek said. "Everything that gets donated in the shops gets doubled by the company."

Last year, the funding collected in Otsego County and from corporate donations went to Otsego County groups such as The Otschodela Boy Scout Council, Opportunities for Otsego, Family Service Association and Richfield Springs Youth Ministries.