Efforts are underway to reactivate the Lake Orion Community Schools Foundation.
With the board of education continuing to trim monies from the school district’s budgets, some parents in the community want to help bring extra dollars in to fund special projects.
Foundations are typically formed to seek out revenues from charitable sources or to sponsor fundraisers.
An education foundation has existed in the community for a long time, but hasn’t been active in several years. Realizing they couldn’t jump start the foundation on their own, a group of people recently met with a West Bloomfield consulting firm, Plotnick & Berke Consulting,
School board president Leeann Bartley told fellow board members on March 24, the firm is asking for $50,000 for a year’s worth of help.
‘I can’t justify taking $50,000 out of the budget when we’re laying people off,? Bartley added.
Parent volunteer Karen Appledorn encouraged board members not to give up on the idea. ‘It looks like we’ll have to do it on our own. Parents and staff would have to work hard,? she said. ‘I believe in it; there’s so many untapped resources.?
According to Appledorn, the foundation currently has $3,500, and has had for several years, in its account. ‘The most they’ve ever had is $7,500 to $10,000,? she added.
One of the major fundraisers for the foundation over the years has been a golf outing. ‘But that’s very labor intensive for a little amount of money. A mailing is much more lucrative,? Appledorn said.
Some members of the current board of directors for the foundation include Diane Dunaskiss, Jill Bastian, Carl Cyrowski and MaryAnne Thorndycraft.
School board members speculated that most officers of the foundation would more than likely not want to continue. Some investigation would be needed to see what it would take to appoint new officers.
Appledorn estimated it would take 15 to 20 people to get the foundation back on track.
Board member Bob Gritzinger suggested the consulting company might be able to come up with a smaller, more affordable version of the proposal that would provide orientation and training meetings with both boards (school and foundation) and appropriate administrative staff.