Everett, Wash.
Published: Monday, April 20, 2009

Colorful piggy banks part of fundraiser for Edmonds schools

By Kaitlin Manry
Herald Writer

 LYNNWOOD -- To help buy books for classroom libraries, sponsor field trips and organize English lessons for immigrants, a foundation that support the Edmonds School District has placed colorful piggy banks for donations in businesses throughout south Snohomish County.

With teacher layoffs and program cuts likely in Edmonds and across the state, the foundation needs donations more than ever, said Pat Gans, a board member of the Public Education Foundation for the Children of the Edmonds School District.

The foundation raises around $70,000 a year, but fundraising has been especially difficult this year because of the recession, Gans said. Some struggling businesses have stopped donating to the foundation.

"It is my guess that the education foundations serving all of our communities are scrambling right now -- raising money to help fill in the gaps that we are going to be experiencing this year," she said.

The Edmonds association plans to collect donations in piggy banks through the end of May at businesses in Edmonds, Lynnwood, Brier Terrace and Mountlake Terrace.

"In general the money goes directly into the classroom," Gans said. "Our intent is to fill the void for those items teachers pay for out of pocket. It's hundreds of dollars a year."

The foundation is also hosting fundraising luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 29, at the Lynnwood Convention Center. The keynote speaker is David Armstrong, producing artistic director for the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle.

For more information, go to www.edmondspef.org.

Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292, kmanry@heraldnet.com.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA