The golden glow of towels waving in the stands at the Super Bowl this Sunday will be supporting far more than the Pittsburgh Steelers playing on the field. Proceeds from the $7 towels go to support people with developmental disabilities.

The so-called Terrible Towels are icons of Steelers games hailing from the 1970s when the team’s radio announcer encouraged fans to bring gold and black towels to wave at games as a way to up the excitement level. The towels quickly became a staple at games and soon were trademarked and sold.

In 1996, Myron Cope, the radio announcer, gave the trademark for the Terrible Towel to the Allegheny Valley School, a group of schools and group homes for individuals with developmental disabilities in Pennsylvania. Cope’s son Danny has mental retardation and autism and lives in a group home the organization operates.

Since then, the Allegheny Valley School has received more than $2.5 million from the towels, about a $1 million of which came from the 2005 season when the Steelers won the Super Bowl. So hopes are high for this year. The funds are used to purchase high-end wheelchairs, sensory programs, adaptive communication devices and other items for residents, reports The New York Times. To read more click here.

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