Rainbow Classic Pittsford: 25 Years of Rivalry That Built a Mobile Children's Hospital

At Pittsford's homecoming this fall, families lined up to tour a bus. Not as a novelty — because it was theirs. The GCH Pediatric Mobile Clinic launched August 5, 2026, and the Rainbow Classic — Pittsford's annual basketball rivalry turned community fundraiser — helped build it. Twenty-five years of that game have put over $650,000 into Golisano Children's Hospital.

In 2001, students Lindsay Bartholf and Shannon Martin, along with their parents and Coach Todd Julien, launched the Rainbow Classic to honor Katelyn Pasley — a Park Road Elementary student who drew rainbows during her time at Golisano Children's Hospital. Katelyn died in 2000 at 8 years old. The game's name came from those drawings.

The event later expanded to honor Ryan McCluski, a Sutherland graduate who also passed away. Two families' losses, two schools' rosters — and every year since 2001, both fan bases have shown up to outgive each other. Pittsford Mendon and Pittsford Sutherland share a zip code and a school district, and the Rainbow Classic uses that proximity as fuel.

Twenty-Five Years and $650,000 Later

Twenty-Five Years and $650,000 Later

The numbers are specific: over $650,000 raised since 2001, averaging roughly $25,000 per year. The 2025 game raised $32,000 alone — the pace has not slowed.

Those funds built named things. A Pediatric ICU patient room, completed in 2010. The Teen Lounge. The Child and Adolescent Eating Disorder Program. The Pediatric Palliative Care Program. Pittsford families can point at rooms inside GCH that this game paid for. The fundraising is personal in a way that gala dinners rarely are — most donors have either used GCH themselves or know a family that has.

The Rainbow Classic Helped Build a Clinic on Wheels

The Rainbow Classic Helped Build a Clinic on Wheels

The most recent funds went toward the GCH Pediatric Mobile Clinic, which launched August 5, 2026. It travels to schools, community centers, and shelters across Rochester, offering well-child visits, immunizations, and primary care to children up to age 21 — regardless of insurance status or housing situation. Rochester artist Shawn Dunwoody designed the exterior.

"We are meeting families where they are, removing barriers, and ensuring every child has access to essential care," said Dr. LJ Shipley, Vice Chair for Regional Pediatrics at Golisano Children's Hospital.

At homecoming, Pittsford families toured the clinic their fundraising helped fund. The mobile clinic connects patients with established pediatricians, not just single visits — it builds ongoing care relationships in the neighborhoods it serves.

A Rivalry That Keeps Bringing People Back

A Rivalry That Keeps Bringing People Back

Brian Pasley, whose daughter Katelyn gave the event its name, has watched it grow from a single game into a district institution.

"The community has been behind it for so long. It's become a focal point for the kids. They come back from college. They all want to go to the Rainbow Classic."

— Brian Pasley, 13WHAM

Kim McCluski, whose son Ryan the event also honors, said it directly: "I think about Ryan all the time. I think about how much he would love this game because even though he couldn't play sports, he was a huge sports fanatic."

Twenty-five years of Mendon and Sutherland players have competed in this game. The mobile clinic is on the road now, serving Rochester families. Pittsford built it.