Man Pageant Spotlight: Max Astrachan

Man Pageant Spotlight: Max Astrachan
Posted on 02/05/2020
Man Pageant Spotlight: Max AstrachanMan Pageant Spotlight: Max Astrachan
Evan Williams
Staff Writer
[email protected]

Known for his shoe reselling business, Senior Max Astrachan holds up a pair of “Yeezys” during his Man Pageant photo shoot.

Every year, ten boys in the senior class are chosen to compete for the title of “Mr. Mini-THON.” CV Mini-THON holds its annual Man Pageant event in order to raise funds, and it has always been one of the most successful and popular events of the year. This year, senior Max Astrachan is one of these contestants, and he has already established himself as one of the fan-favorites of the group. However, while many students may know his name, they may be unfamiliar with him or his fundraising campaign.

Astrachan has already made a name for himself in the area through his shoe reselling business “Heat 717.” As the owner of a small business, he has already gained valuable experience in raising money and making profits.

“Heat 717 has been a very useful tool when it comes to raising money,” Astrachan said, “but even more importantly, it has taught me the importance of setting goals.”

Astrachan compares the process of setting goals and a schedule with shoe transactions to raising money with Mini-THON, and because of these similarities, his campaign has been all the more successful.

As for the work that is put into Man Pageant itself, Astrachan emphasizes that it goes far beyond the dance and the performance.

“Man Pageant involves a lot of time spent fundraising. We all have our ways of going about this, such as canning at games, sending emails to community members, and soliciting at businesses,” Astrachan said. The most important aspect to him, however, is “Remembering the goal of CV Mini-THON and the families in need.”

For both those involved and those who know the contestants, Man Pageant can be life-changing for that very reason: raising money for the families in need. Astrachan is no exception to this, as he points out that the cause has been the experience of a lifetime.

“Man Pageant has really changed my perspective on what it means to work hard and help people,” he said, "It’s effortless to donate money when people need it, but to work for it and encourage others to join the fight is much more rewarding.”

Similar views are held by the other contestants as well, as putting such hard work into a great cause like Mini-THON is sure to have a strong effect on those involved.

Working with these other contestants has had a similarly positive impact on Astrachan. “We have all dedicated the last month to raising money and practicing for the show. It has been a really rewarding experience so far,” he said. "Spending time with the guys and sharing a common goal is a special thing. No matter what the total is, I know that we will be proud of the work we have put in.”

Astrachan, along with his fellow contestants, epitomizes what it means to represent both Cumberland Valley and Mini-THON.

After he concludes his extraordinary fundraising efforts and his senior year, Astrachan plans to continue running his successful business while also attending New York University in the fall. In addition to his outstanding record both in school and in the community, Astrachan finds himself occupied on the baseball field and as a member of Cumberland Valley’s SPIRIT Council, a group aimed at promoting diversity and equality.

As for the contest itself, Astrachan and his fellow contestants will conclude their efforts with an amazing show on February 20th at 7PM in PAC. In the meantime, students, along with their families and friends, can donate to the donor drives of Astrachan and his co-contestants.

Link to Astrachan’s Donor Drive 




Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.