Beginning March 15, 2010 Darien will get to meet its newest community member: the Darien District 61 Educational Foundation. At the Monday City Council meeting Mayor Kathleen Weaver will kickoff the introductions, proclaiming the week of March 15th Darien District 61 Educational Foundation Week. From March 15 through March 21 local sites around Darien will feature banners, signs and marquee notices encouraging community members to S.E.E. – Support Educational Excellence -- and visit the Foundation’s new website at www.darien61foundation.org to learn more about the organization.

Especially in recent years, educational foundations have become important sources of funding for programs and initiatives that help keep education relevant for students. In our current economy, school funding has become a hot topic in the news. For years Illinois school districts have struggled to stretch property tax revenues to keep pace with the rising costs of providing a quality education for their students. Now, on top of the State of Illinois’ current budget woes, adequately funding education has reached crisis mode. In this environment, educational foundations offer much appreciated support to school districts including District 61 in Darien.

District 61 – educating 1700 students at Mark Delay School, Lace School and Eisenhower Junior High School – is fortunate to have the support of the new Darien District 61 Educational Foundation. Work began in earnest in August 2009 with the Foundation’s straightforward mission: To provide supplemental funding for programs and initiatives to enhance the quality of education for students in Darien Public School District 61.

With money raised from tax-deductible contributions, corporate sponsors, and private foundation grants or funds, the Foundation will be able to offer grants to District 61 staff and school-based groups for specialized equipment, technology, projects, and events to broaden the educational opportunities for students.

The Foundation’s first fundraiser will be the 28th annual Mark DeLay Golf Outing, set for June 17th, 2010. Community members and businesses interested in participating are encouraged to contact Event Chairperson Cyndi Dahl at foundation@darien61.org.

The Darien District 61 Educational Foundation recently launched its new website at www.darien61foundation.org. Log on to learn more about the Foundation and its mission, and how you can help support the Darien District 61 schools. If you would like to speak with board member, you can leave an email message at foundation@darien61.org or contact Foundation Chairperson Barbara Finnegan at 630/515-5078.