Foundation Provides Enrichment for VVSD Students

The requests are in—now comes the tough part, at least for members of the Valley View Educational Enrichment Foundation board of directors.

Created in 1994, the foundation provides grant funding to help teachers and schools offer educational opportunities to Valley View students beyond what is available with current school funding. Over the last 17 years, the VVEEF has awarded more than $970,000 in grants to 649 programs.

The foundation hosts a series of fundraisers throughout the year to endow the grants, Lawler said. The largest benefit, a dinner/auction, is scheduled for March 18.

This year, with 90 applicants requesting more than $110,000 to fund enrichment programs for Romeoville and Bolingbrook students, VVEEF board members have some tough choices ahead of them, according to VVEEF President Mike Lawler.

Their first task? To determine exactly how much funding the group will award this year.

“First, they make the funding-level decision,” he said. That will happen sometime in April, according to Lawler.

Next, a panel of VVEEF board members and volunteers will review and score each grant request. But to make sure each application is fairly judged, there’s a catch.

“The judges and board don’t get to see who the grant (applications) came from,” Lawler said. “We keep it a very anonymous process.”

Judges won’t find out who submitted the grants—or how much funding is being requested by each applicant—until May. Applicants will be informed in late May or early June whether they have been chosen as a 2011-12 recipient, Lawler said.

The final step in the process is to present the grants to the Valley View board of education. The board must sign off on all donations made to district schools.

“They’ve never voted (not to accept them),” Lawler said, chuckling.

 “Lucky 17” set for March 18

But just because this year’s recipients haven’t been chosen yet doesn’t mean the organization isn’t planning for next year. The VVEEF’s biggest annual fundraiser is slated for March 18.

Held one day after St. Patrick’s Day, this year’s event has been dubbed “Lucky 17,” a nod to the fact that this year marks the 17th anniversary of the foundation.

Guests are encouraged to wear Irish-themed attire, Lawler said. The most creatively dressed guest will win a prize.

The dinner and auction will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the , 2001 Rodeo Drive.

Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased on the Valley View Educational Enrichment website. The deadline to purchase tickets and submit a their choice of entrée is March 10. Dinner options are roast tenderloin or beef, almond-encrusted chicken, salmon with champagne chive sauce, corned beef with cabbage or a vegetarian entrée.

After the March 10 deadline, tickets will be sold for $60 and guests will not be guaranteed their choice of entree.

For more information or to donate auction items, visit www.vveef.org or call 815-886-7831.