Georgia receives $1M donation from former “Cheers” star to revive shop class in public schools
April 2015 – Actor John Ratzenberger, best known for his role as Cliff Clavin, the know-it-all postal carrier on the sitcom “Cheers” is using his blue-collar ethos to bring back shop class. In his portrayal of Cliff, Ratzenberger dispensed half-baked yet believable theories such as why beer makes you smarter. Now he is delivering funds through the Foundation for America, a nonprofit whose mission is to beat the drum of skilled trades—and their decline, to re-ignite individuals’ passion for blue collar work and boost U.S. manufacturing.
The Foundation for America made headlines earlier this year when Ratzenberger donated $1 million to the state of Georgia as a part of a National Educational Initiative to revive shop classes in schools.