Rockville Centre Education Foundation hosts dazzling fundraiser

More than 150 people attended the Rockville Centre Education Foundation’s 22nd annual black tie optional gala this past Saturday night at the Garden City Hotel, raising well over $50,000 — a record.

“The gala is what our community is all about,” said the event’s hosts, Darren Raymar and Tina Rekus. “Volunteers devote countless hours of their time to make it happen. Local merchants support the effort with gifts and donations. Finally, our friends, neighbors, teachers, school administrators and local government leaders come together to celebrate and to invest in Rockville Centre’s greatest asset: our children’s education. It was a great night.”

An independent, non-profit organization established by community members in 1991, the foundation funds special programs that district teachers and school administrators propose to expand the classroom experience in village schools. A volunteer entity with no overhead costs, the foundation advances creative initiatives and innovative programs that enhance educational opportunities for all students in Rockville Centre public schools. During the 2011-12 school year, the foundation awarded more than $33,000 in grants, a number organizers hope to exceed in the coming year.

This year’s gala honoree was Board of Education Vice President Mark Masin; South Side High School Assistant Principal John Murphy, the school’s International Baccalaureate coordinator, received the Ruth Fins Memorial Award. Next year’s gala, the foundation’s major fundraiser, is set for April 20. Doris Kearns Goodwin will be the gala honoree.