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Schools

Reading, Writing and ... Recess

The PCEF benefit supports Phoenixville schools from classroom to playground.

As the cocktail hour drew to a close, the Rivercrest Golf Club and Preserve sounded a lot like recess.

“Could all the teachers in the room raise their hands?” shouted Phoenixville Community Education Foundation (PCEF) President Joseph Little to a room full of boisterous educators, parents and community leaders attending the PCEF Benefit. “Could you get everyone to be quiet? Oh, it's you!”

With their children and pupils at home with sitters, 337 grown-ups cut loose Friday night to raise money for the Phoenixville Area School District.

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The benefit, titled “Taking Education to New Heights,” featured silent and live auctions and raffles. Prizes included a retro beach bike, a week in a private home in the Bahamas and a wheelbarrow full of wine and spirits—called, fittingly, a “Party on Wheels.”

Returning this year was the a giving tree. Teachers and administrators were asked to name items that would help them in the classroom. Their wishes—and a price for each—were hung on a tree where guests could purchase them for the school district. Items included scholarships ($100 each), a Wii system with Wii Fit ($275) and a video camera ($1,000).

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The fundraising effort broke last year's record and exceeded $33,000. For the big ticket items, two separate packages for weeks in the Bahamas sold for $4,700 each.

The eighth annual winter fundraiser was co-chaired by Kelly Connors and Christine Trafford, who gave credit for the evening's success to their committee: Joan CadiganLori CunninghamJanine Greenwood, Heide LehningJohn Lehning, Elliot Levine, Joseph Little, Leslie LittleCindy StevensLee Deveney, Mary Jane Weiss, Renee Battisti and Roslyn Nilson.

"It warms our hearts that you are in this room," Connors told guests. "Tonight's tickets sold themselves.”

“I am so excited to be part of a foundation that bring together administrators, teachers, parents and the Phoenixville community as one for the benefit of all our children," added Trafford. 

“Our foundation's goal,” said Little, “is to have an impact on every student in our district ... from remedial to robotics.”

“We cannot always build the future for our youth,” he reminded guests, “but we can build our youth for the future.”

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