Foundation Fest to benefit teachers and students Nov. 18

Live music, celebrity bartenders, amazing food, raffles, silent auction – Friday night done right, all to benefit the students employees of the Citrus County School District.

“Foundation Fest is the Citrus County Education Foundation’s largest fundraiser … celebrating the employees of the Citrus County School District as the first semester is coming to a close,” said Shaunda Burdette, CCEF executive director.

The public, age 21 and up, is invited to share in the celebration at the ninth annual Foundation Fest, hosted by the Citrus County Education Foundation (CCEF), 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18 at the College of Central Florida, 3800 S. Lecanto Hwy.

Tickets are $5 at the door, cash or card. Citrus County School District teachers and staff get in free.

Enjoy live music provided by TJ Brown and Mike Mentz as teams of local celebrity bartenders compete to raise the most tips.

Also competing: schools vying for Most Spirit and Best Basket.

Every Festgoer can choose a Citrus County school to support. The school with the most attendees takes home the coveted “Most Spirit” travel trophy AND $1,000 for their school.

As part of the silent auction – everything from hunting and golf packages and weekend getaways to private wine tasting, theme park and Tampa Bay Rays tickets and more than 100 baskets to bid on – the school with the highest bid for the basket they’ve donated gets to keep the basket’s proceeds AND gets the “Best Basket” travel trophy.

Perhaps the best part of the event is the awarding of more than $80,000 in mini grants to teachers, thanks to generous donors: Duke Energy, The Black Diamond Foundation, Suncoast Credit Union, “and our amazing community who make these innovative classroom grants possible,” Burdette said. “We could not be more grateful for this incredible community that continues to support the students of Citrus County.”

All proceeds from the event will go toward CCEF programs supporting our public schools. CCEF programs include: Foundation for Success, providing teacher mini-grants for all grade levels; scholarships for high school seniors; classroom technology enhancements; recognition programs for students, teachers and staff; Supplies 4 Success, the free teacher store providing supplies for students; Men Building Men and Women Building Women mentor programs; All County Chorus; the Regional Science & Engineering Fair; Math Field Day; First Library, CCEF’s early literacy initiative; Book, Line & Thinker field trips; and investments in numerous other programs supporting our students.

Consider donating to CCEF. All donations are greatly appreciated and tax deductible and can be made online at citruseducation.org.

For information, contact Shaunda Burdette or Tiffani King at 352-726-1931, ext. 2240 or email BurdetteS@CitrusSchools.org.