BY NICOLE ASBURY
The Eudora Schools Foundation is launching a campaign Tuesday to raise about $15,000 within 24 hours to support the school district.
Money from the campaign, called The Eudora Schools Foundation’s Give Day, will help address needs ranging from additional support for teachers in their classrooms to families who may have been furloughed or lost jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our mission is always to enrich student experience and think about innovation,” said Shanda Hurla, executive director of the Eudora Schools Foundation.
Usually, the Eudora Schools Foundation launches an annual campaign that’s spread out longer, but this year, the foundation wanted to focus on one day of giving, like KU, to help bring the community together.
“By concentrating our efforts, we can kind of create a celebratory day,” said Matt Bova, the Eudora Schools Foundation president. “Giving should have that feeling — it should make you feel good. We think that rather than prolonging it over a month or so, let’s draw all resources. Let’s remind people that we do indeed have plenty of good reasons to celebrate and to enjoy what’s going on in our schools.”
In the past year, the Eudora Schools Foundation has addressed needs such as food security initiatives, grants for teachers in the classroom and remodeling the Eudora High School’s library to include flexible learning spaces.
“We were kind of concerned on what we’d be able to do this year as a foundation. We’re a nonprofit and we rely on the support of our community,” Hurla said. “Again and again, I’ve been in this position for five years, and I’m always blown away by the generosity of our community and their willingness to put students first — their kids first — and the importance of education.”
The foundation set $15,000 as the target goal after looking at past annual campaigns. Hurla said the goal was big, but realistic compared to what the foundation was able to raise in years past in a month’s time.
“We know that people have more constraints financially this year, but we still felt like that was a doable goal to do in 24 hours,” Hurla said.
The Eudora Schools Foundation also set a number of events throughout the Give Day to encourage people to donate. Throughout Tuesday, the foundation will host multiple gift drawings for people who donate, with prizes from local businesses.
There will also be a grand prize winner drawn through a livestream on the Eudora Schools Foundation Facebook page around 8 p.m. Tuesday, Hurla said.
As a part of the Give Day events, the Eudora schools are also participating in a coin drive through Thursday. The donations go fully back to the schools, Hurla said.
At each building, whichever grade level raises the most, the teachers will receive a $30 gift card to use in their classrooms, Hurla said.
At the middle school and high school, the winning grade level will get doughnuts. At the elementary, the winning grade level that wins will get a pajama day.
Donors can drop off their donation physically between noon and 2 p.m. Tuesday at the district office at 1310 Winchester Road, and receive a cookie and bumper sticker.
People can also donate online via bit.ly/ESFGIVEDAY or mail-in their donation.
Reach reporter Nicole Asbury at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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