Dear Neighbors,
Kim and I are true believers in the magic of Piedmont. Returning from a weekend away, my first thought while driving down Moraga was, “There is no place I’d rather raise my children.” I think about this each year while racing in the Turkey Trot, watching the Fourth of July parade, volunteering at Harvest Festival, and enjoying the tree lighting ceremony.
Can you believe that the Piedmont Beautification Foundation is 61 years old? PEF just celebrated 50 years of community members supporting our schools. Dress Best for Less has been finding a new home for our clothes for 40 years. And, as a cancer survivor, I’m proud to say this community has supported research through the Cancer League for more than 52 years. This is our community and this is why we are here.
At the heart of it all are our schools, and it’s up to us to keep them vibrant. As parents, we lead our robotics teams, we coach soccer, softball, and basketball, and we volunteer in the libraries, serving lunch, and at career fairs. And Kim and I are completing our third year as Giving Campaign chairs.
We are thankful for all the time parents put into volunteering, and so very thankful for the financial support that your families provide our schools. Together, our contributions make up nearly 7% of our schools budget. That might not seem like a large number, but believe us it makes all the difference. Imagine what our schools would like without those funds. Larger class sizes, less qualified teachers, fewer counselors, and the list goes on.
So far this year 49% of PUSD families have made a contribution to the Giving Campaign. It’s crunch time. Let’s not rely on only half our families to carry our schools. If you haven’t made a gift, now is the time. Send a check to Piedmont Education Foundation at 401 Highland Ave, or give online.
Living here is awesome. Let’s keep it that way.