ABC Good Morning America

ABC Good Morning America, ABC’s “Good Morning America” visited the Owego Apalachin Central School District last month with state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli to deliver $6,808 in unclaimed state money to the storm-damage district.

The segment, with a high-school gymnasium full of cheering students and teachers, aired Monday. It was taped Nov. 14 and was kept as a surprise from students and staff until the day it was filmed.

The comptroller made the delivery to help promote the state’s Office of Unclaimed Funds, which lists $11 billion in unclaimed money. “Good Morning America” has teamed up with the comptroller’s office to promote the program.

Owego was one of hundreds of schools and school districts that are listed on the office’s online database. Both the school and the town were badly damaged by the ravaging floodwaters of Tropical Storm Lee earlier this year.

“This is a real positive moment. Especially when you come to a hard-hit community where money is in short supply,” DiNapoli said in the video.

Schools superintendent Bill Russell said during the segment that, “I can’t tell you exactly what we’re going to do with it today but we will certainly put these funds to good use.”

DiNapoli and ABC also researched teachers from the school and found funds owed to 20 of them, calling some of their names during the event. The money range from $3 to $775.