Feeling the energy of the summer's approach

There are precious few hours left in the 2009-10 school year.  The excitement at this time of year is palpable; from the mortar boards taking flight, to the middle school beach day adventures, to the kindergarten screenings for our newest members of the student body, energy and hopes are high and the promise of summer lifts spirits.

The hopes of the CEEF Board of Directors are high too, and fittingly so.  This spring has seen the successful completion of our fifteenth grant cycle, bringing the total of the funds granted to our schools to over $780,000 since 2002.  We embarked on our 2010 annual campaign and were thrilled by the positive response to phone calls made to many in the community.  To top that good energy, the attendance at our third annual Pasta with Purpose dinner on the night before the Pond Cove 5K was higher than ever, gathering more than 300 hungry students and families to enjoy a wonderful meal and listen to some of our schools' most accomplished musicians while dining. We even had a movie debut to offer as dessert - a new "grants-on-display" video capably produced by a CEHS student for CEEF.

These accomplishments will serve to rev up our engines for what's to come in the fall.  During the summer months our board members and gang of tireless volunteers will continue to work on the preparations for our second Cape Elizabeth Kitchen Tour on September 11th.  Sponsored by Maine Home + Design and Sotheby's Legacy Realtors, the tour will once again allow us to get a glimpse inside some of the spectacular homes in our community. We will also continue the work that is the foundation upon which we exist: granting our donors' contributions to our teachers and students. 

Successes never happen in a vacuum, and so there are many people to thank for helping to bring us this far.  There are many volunteers including our board members who give many hours to ensure our donors' contributions are being used wisely.  We have many local business sponsors who donate goods and services and make financial contributions of their own.  Finally there are many students and teachers who give of their time and talents to further the goals that CEEF works toward. 

I thank you all for your part in CEEF's success, and ask you to keep your own energy high as we continue to fulfill the exciting grants our teachers dream up. Now, where's that beach umbrella . . .?