Ann Vernon, Gala Chairperson, made opening remarks.
Ann Vernon
Once again, this year’s Oracle Schools Foundation Spring Fling Gala was sold out well in advance. There was great energy floating around the ballroom as people socialized and made a beeline for silent auction items to bid on or fixed price events to sign up for. The live auction bidding was also very spirited, as was Paddle Up. A special thank you to all who attended, bought and bid, made monetary contributions, or donated their talents to the silent, live, or fixed- price auction. A big applause also to all who helped coordinate and execute this wonderful event. The gala would not be such a huge success without all of you, as well as our corporate sponsors.
In addition to silent and live auction items, we had 18 fixed-price “events” that people could sign up for. Those who attended April events enjoyed a musical evening featuring the very talented Jessiah at the piano, learned how to bake bread from Midge Mollenkopf, dressed up in Yippee Hippe attire for a great party at Cadillac Chaparral, listened to acoustic musician Mike Holper in George and Melody Van Ess’s botanical backyard at the Ranch, savored delicious homemade Jewish dishes at a dinner hosted by Joy and Bill Erickson, or learned about making wine during a wine tasting and fabulous dinner at the home of Kathleen and David Eaton. Because several great events will be held in the fall, be sure to check the website at oracleschoolsfoundation.com to see what is still available.
I am happy to report that this was our most successful gala/auction ever! This is in large part due to your support for the Foundation. Collectively, we have made a huge difference in the lives of young children who would not have access to a free preschool if it weren’t for our efforts. The research is clear that early childhood education makes a significant difference in many ways. For example, children who attend preschool are better prepared for school and experience substantial learning gains in comparison to those who do not have this opportunity. Furthermore, as they get older, they are less likely to be arrested or struggle with substance abuse, and they are more likely to graduate from high school. As the saying goes, children are our future, so thank you for investing in their future!