LEEF Gala Committee sets date for signature fund-raiser

Date: 9/12/2011

Sept. 12, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow Educational Endowment Fund (LEEF) Gala Committee announced on Sept. 8 this year’s date and location for the organization’s primary fund-raising event.

This year’s gala is scheduled for Oct. 22 at Twin Hills Country Club at 7 p.m.

“This year’s gala will be much earlier than in the past. For a lot of reasons, it just worked better to do it earlier,” Candice Healy, Gala coordinator, said. “We’re happy to be hosting the Gala at Twin Hills and we think it will be a great venue for us.”

This year’s event will be an especially significant one for the educational grant program as it will also be a celebration of its 10th anniversary.

“Because it is our 10th anniversary, we want to take the time to honor the founders of LEEF and make sure that they are recognized,” Healy said.

This year’s event will also feature live music from both Longmeadow High School performers and Good Acoustics, a local band of which Williams Middle School music teacher Michael Smith is a member.

Tickets to the gala are $65 per person and may be purchased by mail or online. Invitations with order forms will be sent out to all of last year’s attendees and distributed at all of the Longmeadow Public Schools. Forms can also be downloaded at www.goleef.com.

Forms can be filled out with checks made payable to LEEF, P.O. Box 60782, Longmeadow, MA 01116-0782.

Those wishing to purchase tickets online may do so at www.goleef.com, however, an extra $5 convenience fee will be applied.

As always, the gala will feature a live and silent auction and a raffle.

This year’s LEEF Gala raffle prize will be a bundle package including a 43-inch Samsung 3-D, high definition television, two battery-powered 3-D television glasses and a Blu-Ray disc player.

“I think it’s going to be a huge hit,” Samantha Edwards, who is in charge of new sponsors, donations and the raffle for LEEF, said. “3-D TV is one of the top electronics out there.”

Live auction items for bid will include a seven-night stay at a waterfront two-bedroom condo in Hutchinson Island, Fla., a catered backyard barbecue by Texas Roadhouse, getaway opportunities to Ogunquit, Maine, and Wilmington, Vt., and four VIP tickets to a live taping of Live! with Regis and Kelly in New York City.

The silent auction will be highlighted by a four-pack of Disney Parks Park Hopper tickets.

“The donations are still coming in and there’s something for everyone,” LEEF Donations Coordinator Jasmina Mitreska said.

Details regarding food have yet to be determined and will be announced in the coming weeks.