By Lisa Carolin
For 25 years, the Chelsea Education Foundation (CEF) has been providing hundreds of scholarships to Chelsea High School graduates and hundreds of grants to the school district. The foundation has supported educational projects with more than $375,000 in grant funding.
On Friday, April 24 from 6:30-10:30 p.m., CEF will hold its 25th Anniversary Gala at Weber’s Inn in Ann Arbor.
“Even as public funding for education waxes and wanes, CEF continues to provide scholarships and grants that enrich the educational experience,” said April Gasbarre, a CEF volunteer.
Donations to the CEF benefit early childhood education, technology, engineering and math, creative arts, writing, music, dance, theater, parental education and more.
“A single donation to CEF is a simple way for our donors to diversify their giving amongst our key focus areas,” said Aaron Warriner, president of CEF’s board, which has 20 members. “With sponsorships, ticket sales, auction earnings, and other in-kind donations, we are striving to generate $60,000 in revenue in 2015.”
At the upcoming gala, auction items include a pig roast for 75, a Traverse City beach and wine weekend, pampering at Gemini Salon, University of Michigan football tickets, and dozens more vacation, dining, sports, and cultural packages. There will also be a strolling dinner and open bar at the event.
What is credited for the 25 years of success CEF has had?
“CEF’s success rests on the shoulders of dozens of volunteer board members who have donated their time, their expertise, and their passion for lifelong learning in our town,” said Gasbarre.
Warriner says, “We are a community that takes care of one another.”
Examples of grants CEF recently provided include those for the Chelsea High School Gettysburg/Antietam field trip, the Chelsea District Library Authors in Chelsea Program, the Chelsea Schools Percussion World Music Experience, the Beach Middle School Division B Science Olympiad, Special Ed Reading A-Z online program, South Meadows Safety Patrol, and the replacement books for the North Creek teacher book room.
For more information on the CEF’s 25th Anniversary Gala, contact April Gasbarre at 734-474-2176 or at [email protected] or click here to register.
