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LEEF Gala garners $75,000 for town schools

Date: 12/13/2010

Dec, 13, 2010

By Debbie Gardner

Assistant Managing Editor

LONGMEADOW -- A change of venue and the addition of charity-based gaming seemed to boost the appeal of the ninth annual Longmeadow Education Excellence Foundation (LEEF) Gala, which took place Nov. 20 at the Colony Club in downtown Springfield.

"We sold out and had to turn people away. We sold out days before the event," said LEEF co- chair Stephanie Foster, who added that the total attendance was "well over 300."

It was a crowd that included "many new supporters who have young children in our schools," according to LEEF's publicity spokesperson, Joe Aberdale.

This year's Gala raised $75,000 through sponsorship and the evening's live and silent auctions. The monies will be used to support LEEF's mission of providing funding to teachers to enhance learning opportunities and programs beyond what the pubic school budget can provide.

"The turnout and money raised is a reflection of the commitment from the community for education and for LEEF's mission," Aberdale said. "We've raised over three-quarters of a million dollars over the last nine years and awarded over 208 grants [to teachers]."

Aberdale said these grants have funded programs "in all subject areas, all grade levels and in all of our schools."

According to Gala committee member Wendy Upson, catered events, such as the backyard barbecue for 15 donated by the Texas Roadhouse, were among the best moneymakers for this year's event.

"That went for $1,000 over its value," Upson said. "People like to bid on things they can do with friends"

Another item that drew high bids was two tickets watch a Red Sox game from atop the famed Green Monster, donated by the Gilbane Building Company.

"It was such a sought-after item that [Gilbane] actually gave two more tickets," Upson said.

The golf trip to play such legendary golf courses as Ballybunion Old and Casen, Tralee and Kaillarney Killeen in Ireland, the opportunity to attend a practice round at the Masters tournament in Augusta, Ga. and tickets to other sporting events also raised substantial monies at this event.

The President's Challenge, funded at $2,000 by Baystate Dental, was matched by donors during the evening, raising a total of $4,000, which Aberdale said is already earmarked to be "divided among the [town's] three elementary schools to fund a very popular grant program called the book closet

That program provides a resource for teachers to match students to books appropriate for their reading level, regardless of their actual grade.

Among other businesses that both Foster and Upson recognized as major supporters of this year's event were Arabella Insurance and St. Germain Investments, which each contributed $5,000.

Additional businesses that made notable contributions to this year's event included Robert Charles Photography, which donated a wall portrait and 48 holiday cards as the Gala raffle prize and Amy Taylor Designs, which donated the floral arrangements.

The women also recognized the contributions of the digital photography class at Longmeadow High School, which provided myriad images of familiar and not-so-familiar town landmarks for the Gala's showplace centerpiece, and the school's music students and Key Club members, who provided entertainment and willing hands to keep the Gala running smoothly.

"The eye of these kids," Foster said of the photography class. "They captured things about the town that we had never seen."

Foster and Upson also wanted to extend a public thank you to the many volunteers who worked the charity gaming tables on Gala night.

"In order to [run the games] legally, we had to get volunteer dealers," Upson said. "We had folks from town, Mat Campbell from TV Channel 3, Jenna Hagist from Channel 40 [and] a student from Bay Path College."

They also thanked LEEF's supporters for being so accepting of this year's venue change.

"I think people who are typically intimidated to go downtown thought, 'oh, this is easy' [getting to the Colony Club]," Upson said. "People liked the change of the location."

They also seemed to enjoy the addition of gaming, as well as the layout of the club, which allowed those who preferred not to gamble to simply enjoy the cocktail party and view the auction items.

Foster said teachers are already beginning to submit grant applications for this year's funding.

"It's like applying for a scholarship" she said. "[Teachers] want that grant money. They send in grant applications that are very well thought out and creative.

This year's deadline for teachers to submit grant applications is Feb. 1.



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