RCEF 2013 President’s End of Year Report

April 8, 2014
From: Marty Heiss, 2013 President of Ravenna Community Educational Foundation
Subject: 2013 End of Year Report

1. The major event this year was again the “Taste of Ravenna.” This year’s event was the best attended and most profitable to date. We again had baskets donated by each Board member and from each school building. We also had a live auction: an overnight and dinner/breakfast package to the Shoreline Inn and Lakehouse Restaurant w/tickets to the Frauenthal Center; a sofa table designed and constructed by Ken Patterson and Ken Punter; a wall clock built and donated by Andy Engle (with boards from the old high school/middle school gym floor); two tickets to an MSU hockey game; and two tickets to an MSU basketball game. The bidding was fast and furious and Don Swanson did an outstanding auctioneering job. Moss Ridge put together the wine and beer samples again this year; however, we elected not to sell bottled wines- only to have tastings. Our alumnus of the year for 2013 was Sheri Jones Rocinski, a 1983 graduate of RHS. A very successful evening.
2. We again funded a number of grants: $1200 to the four DI teams going to national competition; $240 to Carrie Schoenborn for art department; $180 to Tammy Arbogast for iPad math app; $278 to Shari Luce for Bal-A-Vis-X program; and $300 to Clark Kantola for bobcat mounting in display case.
3. We contributed $2000 to the new Ravenna Library addition.
4. We also awarded two scholarships for 2013 ($1000 granted to Colton Kantola, $500 to Jessica Heiss).
5. We again participated in Dog Daze, handing out 1000 popsicles to many hot and thirsty attendees.
6. Officer elections were held and the officers for 2014 are: Marty Heiss, President; Denny Emery, Vice President; Jason Helsen, Treasurer, and Mike Pierson, Secretary. The remaining Board members are: Dee Swanson, Ken Patterson, Ken Punter, Karen Barker and Laura Cameron. Brandy Klapatch was removed from the Board in accordance with the Bylaws due to lack of participation.
7. Our fund balance continues to grow. We began 2013 with $92,613.34 and ended the year with $123,202.18. We are most grateful to our generous community (and to the healthy stock market) for this continuing growth and enabling the Foundation to continue supporting our schools, our staff and students with financial support in continuing academic excellence.
8. 2014 should be another great year. We will continue with our efforts and use our resources wisely in our continuance of helping Ravenna Public Schools prosper.

Respectfully submitted,
Marty Heiss