Sale of souvenir coffee mugs will help Classroom on Wheels run smoothly

Friday, Jan. 29, 1999 | 10:29 a.m.

Buy a mug and fix an engine.

Starbucks Coffee Company plans to donate proceeds from sales from new "Las Vegas" mugs to the local Classroom On Wheels program.

The 16-ounce mugs featuring Circus Circus' neon casino clown and the Flamingo Hilton's neon sign hit the shelves at the end of December and will stay on the shelves indefinitely, said Bethany McDonald, spokesperson for the company.

The idea came with the recent redesign of the mug, she said. The company chose the Classroom On Wheels program as part of its effort to support local literacy and education programs.

Fifty-cents from each mug purchased will be given to the organization, which serves at-risk children in 20 neighborhoods through a free, bilingual preschool.

The classrooms are held on black-and-white buses that the program teacher drives into each neighborhood.

"We're just delighted," said Angela Pernatozzi, executive director for Classroom On Wheels.

The 7-year-old organization runs entirely on contributions and grants. The group recently replaced an engine on one of its seven buses at a cost of $12,000. Pernatozzi said the proceeds from the mug sales will go towards paying the bill.

"We're always hoping a miracle will happen," she said. "That's the way we live."