Taking their prize for the best float in the Copper Bowl Parade to help out children in crisis, the UA Grounds Services Department donated $2,500 to Casa de Los Ninos yesterday.

Casa de Los Ninos is a nonprofit organization designed to help children in need.

Chuck Raetzman, assistant director of operations services, presented the check yesterday to Mary Cox, director of development, as employees who helped construct and present the float looked on.

The donation will go into the operating budget of Casa de Los Ninos and affect 750 to 1,000 kids, Cox said.

"Casa de Los Ninos has been in existence because of continuing support," she said. "Private donations really make the difference."

The float responsible for making this happen consisted of copper mining equipment and copper pipes, sheets and a kettle, showing the transition of raw copper from the melting process to the finished product.

Called "Mines for Minds," it was constructed by 14 employees of Grounds and Labor Operations and Operations Services with assistance from Paint Shop employees.

The winner of the float contest was to designate the check to its charity of choice, said Raetzman.

The vote for Casa De Los Ninos was unanimous, he said.

Ron Underhill, grounds assistant supervisor, said, "We were throwing out ideas and that was the first thing that came to our mind."

Casa De Los Ninos opened its new offices two weeks ago at 1101 N. 4th Avenue. Built with donations from Gretchen Kelch and the Holsclaw Family Fund, the new building sits on the site of the original location started by Sister Catherine Clark in 1973.