Educational Foundation Wine Tasting Raises $25K for District 113A

More than 200 people helped the Educational Foundation kick off the new school year last month at its first ever wine tasting event.

"Summer's Over... Wine a Little," the foundation's first major fundraiser of the school year, raised more than $25,000 for District 113A academic grants. The event was held Sept. 23 at , 11250 Archer Ave, and featured a large selection of wines and bottled beer, hors d’oeuvres, a bean bag tournament and karaoke.

Sponsors for the event included Country Financial, Castletown Homes, Koehler and Passarelli, , , , Muffins, , A Warehouse on Wheels, , Lifetouch National School Studios and 2 Tipsy, Inc.

Several local groups, including the Lemont Hornets Superlight coaches and several Lemont subdivisions, also sponsored the fundraiser.

The District 113A Educational Foundation used the wine tasting to launch its new "Friends of 113A" campaign, which encourages supporters to donate in increments of $113 to help the district grow. For each $113 donation, the benefactor received a goodie bag with an "I'm a Friend of 113A" bracelet and backpack.

The community can join the campaign throughout the year by visiting the foundation's website at SD113AFoundation.org.

For every 50 donations, Better Lawns and Gardens will plant a tree at one of the District 113A schools. The first tree was earned at the wine tasting, and Aldo Pizzaferrato of Fairway Custom Landscapes surprised the Foundation donating two more trees.

The District 113A Educational Foundation was founded in May 2010 after the district cut more than $3.17 million in staff and programs. Its purpose is to provide financial resources beyond the operating budget, which students and teachers may use toward educational enrichment.

The Educational Foundation held its first major fundraiser,  last November at . The event, which was attended by more than 300 women, featured a night of shopping and dining, and raised more than $4,000.

In February, the foundation's brought in nearly $19,000 for the district.

During the 2010-2011 school year, the Educational Foundation awarded $25,000 in grants to purchase Mimios, iPads and MP3 players for classrooms, according to Foundation President Mara Tunzi. Other purchases included magazine subscriptions and software licenses.

“The Foundation is off to a great start this school year,” Tunzi said. “Our goal is to raise at least $75,000, double the amount raised last year, so that we can fulfill most of the grant requests we receive. We have a great team in place, so I have no doubt we can achieve this goal.”

For more information about the District 113A Educational Foundation, visit www.sd113afoundation.org.