Group reinforces educational excellence
It's encouraging to know there are good organizations doing things to make our communities better places to live. The Oswego Foundation for Educational Excellence is one of those organizations.
The OFEE was started in 1995 by Ron Weilert with the goal of enriching and enhancing educational opportunities for the students of Oswego School District 308. It has helped to provided materials, equipment and funding for initiatives that otherwise might not be funded. It has awarded more than $230,000 in grants as well as establishing an endowment fund and administering several scholarship funds.
It's hard to even know where to start in describing all the projects OFEE has supported. It has supported students of all ages, from the youngest to the oldest. It has supported the Excellence in Education Banquet, Character Counts, literary festivals and all kinds of efforts to support reading. It has supported physical education, math, English and the fine arts -- and a whole lot more. There is a grant process in place where district staff or members of the community submit a project proposal requesting a grant from OFEE. The project proposals are reviewed by OFEE's Grant Committee and the OFEE Board of Directors.
I personally became acquainted with OFEE in 2005 when the combined marching bands of Oswego High School and Oswego East High School were invited to play in the Tournament of Roses Parade. It was a great honor, but getting more than 250 students from Oswego to Pasadena is quite a challenge. OFEE was a terrific partner. The group worked hard to help to raise funds to make a wonderful dream an incredible reality for many people in our community.
OFEE raises money from individuals and corporations. It also has an annual golf outing, a Fay's Pork Chop Barbecue during PrairieFest and a new Community Arts Program fundraiser.
The Community Arts Project kicked off with a Johnny Cash tribute concert this spring. The next fundraiser is "Piano Men," featuring the music of Billy Joel and Elton John. Recording artist Jim Witter and his band walk audiences year-by-year through the 1970s with headlines, newsmakers, cars and TV shows of the decade and the art of two terrific musicians.
OFEE holds its Community Arts Program fundraisers at the Oswego East Performing Arts Center. It's a great hall for a show like this. The show is Nov. 7. Ticket information is available at www.oswegofoundation.org.
Jim Connon can be reached at jim.connon@gmail.com.
