Arts
This weekend, Uncorked will raise funds and celebrate success of YEF
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - When it comes to supporting the local schools, all it takes is a few dedicated people and a community of business and individuals ready to lend a helping hand.That was the sentiment expressed my members and beneficiaries of the York Education Foundation, which is preparing to hold its second annual Uncorked, a major fundraising event of afternoon enjoyment scheduled for this weekend.
Uncorked is a festival of fine wines paired with delectable local dishes from an array of favorite restaurants, all to benefit the York Education Foundation. Uncorked will also feature entertainment by Trio Arioso.
The event will be held this Sunday, May 21, from 1 until 4 p.m. at The Cliff House on Shore Road at the York-Ogunquit town line.
As of last week, tickets were nearly sold out at $50 each for the event, which includes a silent auction featuring whimsical, practical and delightful gifts and certificates for services donated by local businesses.
"The YEF is enthusiastic about the overwhelming generosity of local businesses and the public support," said Jamie Bock of the non-profit group's board of directors. "The donations from York's citizens and local businesses are so encouraging for our future in York. We are confident in our organization and its long-term effect in the York Schools."
The School Committee, too, has praised the efforts of the group to support quality teaching in the local schools.
"These are a great group of York residents working on behalf of our children and young adults," said School Committee Chairwoman Patty Hymanson. "Having grants to apply for allows the teachers to stretch their teaching skills at the same time the students stretch themselves through what they can learn. And the Uncorked event to raise money is really fun so everyone wins with the hard work from YEF."
Hymanson and former committee member Hilary Clark were advocates from the start of YEF.
"YEF has been active out in the public for the past two years with two years of research done before that," Bock explained. "… We seek to award grants for exceptional projects and programs proposed by the York educators at the elementary, middle and high school levels not funded or supported by the York Schools budget. These programs are geared to reach as many students as possible; it's important for people to know that. We support programs for all types of learners."
For the all-volunteer group that began the York Education Foundation and the teachers and students who have benefited from the program, there is no question why this event is sure to be a sell-out.
Beth Knight, coordinator of Families Together, said the YEF has helped so many in the community.
"We are so grateful to the York Education Foundation for the grant money to offer a parent/child together program one day a week at Village Elementary School," she said. "This program, which takes place every Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m., teaches parents how to create a learning environment in their homes while offering them the resources to do so by giving away free books and take home activities."
The program is staffed through York Adult Education and is entitled Families Together, she said.
"Thank you to York Education Foundation for the help to provide this family literacy program to the community."
York Middle School French teacher Stephanie Carbonneau also praised the group, which provided funds to allow almost the entire eighth grade to visit Quebec this past winter.
"The trip provided 8th grade French students many valuable opportunities. For many, an excursion of this nature was something they may never experience again in their lifetime," she said. "It was an opportunity to visit a foreign country, to deal with another culture, currency and life style as well as the opportunity to practice the French language in a real world setting."
Every eighth grade student who was in good academic and disciplinary standing, and wished to attend, was able to.
"It was important to me that students of this age group gain an understanding that French does exist beyond the classroom and the town of York, Maine," Carbonneau said. "Due to the gracious amount of money awarded by the YEF committee, I was able to almost fully fund five student trips as well as award several small scholarships. In addition I was able to purchase lesson materials, prizes and trip extras at no extra cost to me. Students were able to take pictures of their experiences and make beautiful scrapbooks about their trip, which I hope they will keep. Scrapbooks will serve as a reminder of their wonderful excursion to Québec as well as the joy of being immersed in another culture/language."
Bock explained the goal behind the fun and festivities of Uncorked is to raise funds to support grants for teachers like Carbonneau and Knight, who are seeking special funds for programs or materials to augment the educational program funded in the annual operating budget.
Those teachers who have reaped the benefits of YEF in the past year have described the program as invaluable in terms of the opportunities it provides for all children - such as increased access to technology with the Coastal Ridge Elementary School Technology Cart or a trip to Quebec for York Middle School student - regardless of their ability to pay.
"Eventually, our goal is to run a capital campaign to generate private funds over an extended period of time," Bock said. "Many school districts are turning to education foundations and capital campaigns to support the public schools through private donations."
Bock encouraged local residents to check out the York Education Foundation website to learn more about recent grant awards and the programs they have supported.
The group is gearing up to review its second cycle of grant applications, with funding awards to be announced in June for the coming academic year.
"We continue to seek people who would like to join the board of directors," Bock noted, adding information and e-mail contacts for those interested are available on the website.
Business and individuals contributing to the silent auction include Atlantic Sign Company, Berger's Bike Shop, Bintliff's, Brixham Danceworks, Cape Neddick Country Club, Clay Hill Farm Restaurant, Edible Arrangements, Enotecha Italiana, Excursions, Foster's Clambake, Freedom Salon and Day Spa, Golden Harvest, Grimebusters, Heather Henriksen, Schoff's Photo & Design, Liquid Dreams Surf Shop, Margarita's Mexican Restaurant, Maude Hutchins Premium, The Music Hall, Pie In the Sky Bakery, Rebecca Emberley, River Place, Seastone Massage, Small Talk, the Elsemore family, Swags, Wentworth by the Sea Country Club, Wheel's N' Waves, White Pine Programs, Wicked Joe Coffee Roasting, York Golf and Tennis Club, York Flower Shop, York Harbor Inn and Frank Wallace.
Bock said YEF cannot express their appreciation for the more than a dozen area food purveyors donating food for the event, including Chapman Cottage, Beach Pea Baking Co., Bintliff's, The Cliff House, Dockside Restaurant, Food & Co., Jonathan's Restaurant, Lucia's Kitchen, Maude Hutchins Premium, The Meat House, The Stolen Menu. She said YEF also thanks Paul Carr from Nappi Distributors for organizing the wine vendors, The York Flower Shop for donating all the floral arrangements and The Cliff House for, as she put it, "providing a perfect venue for our event."
For more on the York Education Foundation or Uncorked, visit the website at www.yorkeducationfoundation.org or call 363-0233.
And if you can't make it to Uncorked this year, YEF welcomes tax-deductible donations to York Education Foundation, P.O. Box 565, York, ME 03909.
Associate Editor Jennifer L. Saunders can be reached via e-mail at jsaunders@yorkindependent.net.
