|
Inclusive Community Event Celebrated the Valley’s Public Schools and Raised Funds to Create a Thriving School Community The board and staff of the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) were thrilled to welcome another record-breaking crowd to the 2023 Red & White Ball on the Sonoma Plaza on August 26. More than 1,500 guests were on-hand to celebrate the achievements and potential of the Valley’s public school students and the dedicated teachers and staff who make it all possible. Guests were entertained by talented local students, who showed off their music, acting, and dance skills in the Grinstead Amphitheater. In the School Showcase area, community members were able to see student art and school projects, hear from students involved in school clubs, and learn about the projects and experiences made possible by Classroom Grants funded by SVEF’s community of donors. Executive Director Angela Ryan and emcee Nikko Kimzin spoke to the guests from the main stage about the mission of SVEF and their commitment to creating thriving school communities. To cap off the party, the crowd danced the night away to La Gente SF and their infectious latin fusion beats. This was SVEF’s second in-person Red & White Ball since 2019, and continued last years’ successful reimagined format of a picnic-style community celebration, with guests invited to learn about the collective hopes and dreams of the teachers, staff and students of the public schools. And there was no shortage of generosity from the guests, many of whom donated in advance or at the event and, thanks to the matching gifts of event sponsors, had their donations tripled. These gifts created SVEF’s Classroom Grants fund for the school year, which allows teachers to purchase everything from materials and supplies to creative enrichment opportunities for students. All told, proceeds from the event and accompanying fundraising activities totaled $235,000 for Sonoma Valley’s public schools! SVEF Executive Director Angela Ryan shared, “This year’s Red & White Ball was beyond my wildest dreams of what this event could be. Seeing the size of the crowd made it clear that the community is eager to celebrate everything that makes our public schools great. In particular, seeing so many students in attendance was heartwarming and a reminder of why we believe so passionately in connecting the community with the schools. I can’t thank everyone enough for showing up for the biggest, most inclusive and most fun Red & White Ball ever!” Board Chair Graham Smith added, “We’re humbled by the generosity of our supporters and the way they show up every time. It’s an honor to host this inclusive event and see parents, families, teachers and community members united in their dedication to our public schools. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the team and countless volunteers who made this year’s Red & White Ball possible. It’s truly a one-of-a kind event, and I’m thrilled to see the way the community has embraced the new format.” Link to view event photo gallery by Genesis Vondergeest: photobygenesis.shootproof.com/gallery/22323287/ Link to view event video created by Genevieve Smith: youtu.be/u-CE7lzDQS4
Photo credit: Genesis Vondergeest
0 Comments
With only a few weeks to go before the Red & White Ball, we rounded up a few FAQs to help make sure you are ready for a great time.
When does the event start? Event check-in and the bars will open at 5pm along the north side of the Plaza. Arrive early to set up your own picnic, grab a glass of wine, and enjoy the event! What should I bring? You'll want to pack your favorite picnic seating and decide ahead if you'll bring a picnic meal from home or purchase a meal onsite from one of our food truck vendors. Please note you that you do not need to print out your tickets, we will be checking guests in by name. What about food? You can bring your own meal, or order from one of our onsite food truck vendors. Plus, a portion of all proceeds will be donated back to SVEF! We are pleased to partner with these delicious food trucks:
A variety of wine and beer options will be available for purchase at the event. We are very grateful to our generous beverage sponsors, who will be providing red, white, and rose wines:
Individual tumblers will be available for sale on site, or you can bring your tumbler from last year's event. Wine and beer will be available for $7 a pour, or $30 for a bottle of wine (cash, credit card, and digital wallets accepted). Can I arrange for my picnic to be set up instead of doing it myself? As of August 22nd, Picnic Potential is SOLD OUT for this year's event. Is there entertainment at the event? This special evening will be filled with fun things for you to do!
You'll receive a wine tumbler and a glass wine (for 21+). By purchasing a ticket, you are helping underwrite the costs of the event and supporting local public schools. What should I wear? Wear your favorite red and white outfit! How does attending the event help support the students? At this year's event you'll learn about the great things happening at our local public schools directly from Sonoma Valley students, teachers, and staff, as well as partner nonprofit organizations. Proceeds from the event will support our Classroom Grants fund for the school year. Through this program, teachers and staff can request grants of up to $1,000 to help cover the costs of supplies, field trips, and other vital classroom needs. Are there additional ways I can support local students? We invite you to join us in a powerful endeavor at the Red & White Ball: fundraising! It's one of the most impactful ways you can directly benefit our schools. It’s easy to help raise funds. All you have to do is share your passion for public education by spreading the word to your friends and family and asking them to make a gift. It’s a fun way to make a real difference! Click here for more information and tips on how to become an advocate for our public schools. What if I need accommodations in order to attend? We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Sarah Carroll at 707-935-9566 or sarah@sveducationfoundation.org. Discover Three Impactful Ways to Support Sonoma Valley Public Schools at the Red & White Ball!6/5/2023 Attend General admission tickets are $40 and include a reusable wine tumbler and a complimentary glass of wine for those 21 and above. Community tickets are just $10 and help cover event costs. Kids? They're welcome to join us for free! Fundraise One of the most powerful ways of raising funds that go to our schools is to share your passion for public education and to let your friends & family know how they can support YOU in raising money. This is called peer to peer fundraising and we would be honored if you helped us reach our goals! Volunteer
We have many ways to get involved as a volunteer. Fill out the contact form and we will be in touch with volunteering positions! Be sure to check out the latest article from the Sonoma Index Tribune about a Classroom Grant you made possible: dance instructors, enhanced sets and costumes! ‘Shrek Junior’ musical takes the Adele stage with professional dance instruction, new costumes and set designs When the musical ‘Shrek Junior’ is performed at Adele Harrison Middle School this week, it will feature lively dances as well as new costumes and set designs, thanks to the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation. DANIEL JOHNSON INDEX-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER May 16, 2023, 1:53PM
Be sure to check out the latest article from the Sonoma Index Tribune about a Classroom Grant you made possible: Books for classroom libraries! Thanks to the generous support of donors like you, local teachers at multiple campuses were able to purchase new bilingual books to add to their classroom collections and make available to their students. Both teachers and students are thrilled to have these resources at their fingertips!
 Teachers go above and beyond for students, and to show them how much we appreciate their dedication, SVEF is making a limited number of specially curated gift sets available for purchase. To show your heartfelt thanks, we will hand-deliver a gift set to the recipient of your choice*.
Each $75 gift set includes:
Purchase your gift online before the deadline of April 30 (availability limited). Please be sure to include the name of the teacher or staff at checkout. If you don't have a recipient in mind, purchase one and let us surprise a teacher on your behalf! All proceeds from the sale of these gifts will be invested back into programs that benefit students. Talk about a win-win! *Eligible schools for teacher/staff recipients: Dunbar, Flowery, El Verano, Sassarini, Prestwood, Altimira, Adele Harrison, Creekside, SVHS, Woodland Star, Sonoma Charter, and SVUSD district office. Special thanks to our generous Teacher Appreciation Week sponsors: Safeway, Lucky Supermarkets, Mary’s Pizza Shack, Sonoma Raceway, Highway 12 Winery When a local teacher asks for help, we never want to say no.
But without your support today, that’s just what we are going to have to do. Here’s why… When the new school year started in August, we asked our community to make a donation to our Classroom Grants fund. These grants provide direct-to-teacher support for educational materials, field trips, and other experiences that help students learn and engage. Thanks to friends like you, we had almost $50,000 available for Classroom Grants for teachers this school year! But now the unexpected has happened. Due to overwhelming demand from local teachers, our entire Classroom Grants budget has already been spent…and we still have teachers who urgently need a grant. You can help today by making a donation to fund a Classroom Grant, so that we don’t have turn away any teacher (and your gift will be doubled by matching funds to help twice as much!). In retrospect, it shouldn’t be surprising that so many teachers have asked for help this year. Many students are still behind in school due to the pandemic. We knew that this year, teachers would need to find ways to make school more engaging and impactful than ever before. That’s exactly why Classroom Grants are so important. If you donate by March 31, your gift will help twice as much! Our generous friends at the Vadasz Family Foundation have graciously offered to double any gift you send in, up to $10,000, before midnight, March 31! Your doubled gift today will mean that we won’t have to say “no” to any teachers due to a lack of funds. You will help a teacher to support and engage students in ways she or he knows they need – but that are not in the budget. Thank you for helping to support local teachers and students. Your gift to provide a Classroom Grant will mean so much! Click the link below to read the fifth article in our ongoing series in the Sonoma Index-Tribune about Classroom Grants that you made possible: The trip was made possible through a $2,000 Classroom Grant from the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation. Roberts said that the teachers applied for the grant to help reduce the cost for Prestwood families. “Outdoor education can be very expensive,” she said. “Our trip to Coloma can be anywhere from $200 to $300 per student.” Classroom grants for field trip have been in exceptionally high demand. “Since August, we have approved 71 Classroom Grant requests — and over one-third of them have been for field trips,” said Gail Chadwin, the foundation’s director of development. “We hear from teachers that many local families cannot afford to pay for these field trips out of pocket.”
Click the link below to read the article in the Sonoma Index-Tribune about the expansion of Creative Campus to El Verano Elementary that you made possible:   Click the link below to read the fourth article in our ongoing series in the Sonoma Index-Tribune about Classroom Grants that you made possible: Flowery Elementary School students are using the school’s new virtual reality headsets, thanks mainly to a $1,000 grant that Sara Hubbard-Lake, the school’s library media specialist, received for 2022-23 through the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation’s Classroom Grants program. “Our students are smart and curious. They are little mathematicians and scientists, artists and writers. Many of our students live their lives within a few-blocks radius. They might visit family in another town or take a trip to the city, but they don’t have many opportunities to explore beyond the city limits of our own little town. Virtual reality has some amazing educational platforms that allow students to take a trip around the world, into space or even back in time.”
The Incredible No-Shhh LibraryIn addition to the VR headsets, Sara Hubbard-Lake has created the Incredible No-Shhh Library, which is available to all Flowery students and was made possible partly through a $1,000 Classroom Grant during the 2021-22 academic year. “School libraries are evolving into bustling, vibrant centers of knowledge that engage the whole child. This library will continue to provide a quiet escape for our voracious readers, but it is my hope that it can evolve into a place that can impact a student’s day in a positive and meaningful way both in and out of the library." - Sara Hubbard-Lake |
