The Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation has come up with a cure for the winter blues. Its annual Winter Jam, Rock Around the Boardwalk, is set for 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 24, at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. The event raises funds for teacher grants, character education programs, and student performing arts scholarships.
Live music by the Funsters and Love Seed’s Rick Arzt headlines the evening, which also includes silent and live auctions, cash bar, and light fare. Winter Jam has grown into a community-sponsored event, with donations from more than 75 local retail businesses, restaurants, and service suppliers for the fundraising evening. Last year’s Winter Jam raised more than $19,000 to support CHEF’s funding of classroom activities, field trips, arts projects, college visitations, and other educational supports. Organizers have set a goal of $30,000 this year to try to keep up with needs in the district.
In 2013, more than $10,500 was invested in character education and anti-bullying initiatives in Cape district schools. At the high school, students started a Friends of Cape Club based on the writings of Rachel Scott, the first person killed in the Columbine shootings. Scott wrote about paying goodness forward to start a chain reaction of love that can end bullying. CHEF also supported various field trips, a journalism convention trip, classroom technologies, and student book clubs.
“We gave out more than $23,000 in 2013 alone,” says Kim Hoey Stevenson, development director for CHEF. “We had to turn down many equally valuable grant requests simply for lack of funds.”
The local businesses that have donated good and services for the Jan. 24 Winter Jam include the following major sponsors: Delaware 105.9, Cape Gazette, Below Book Auto, Cape Orthopaedics, State Farm Insurance, IG Burton and Company, EDiS, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services/Gallo Realty, Jack Lingo Realtor, SPI Pharma, OneCall Services Inc., Sussex Emergency Associates, and Savannah Animal Hospital. Fun sponsors are Mid-Atlantic Family Practice; Shore Bank, Ray Book & Associates; Millman’s Appliances; Johnson Orthodontics; Community Bank; Schab & Barnett P.A.; Dave Marshall Tennis and Fitness at the Plantations; Jake’s Seafood; The Dental Group; Emory Hill Companies; Sposato Landscape Co. Inc.; West Bay Waterfront Community and Taylor Marine.
“We are very grateful for the continued support of members of the community to make this valuable work a reality for so many children and the teachers of the district,” says Stevenson. “We look forward to seeing everyone at this year’s Winter Jam.”
Tickets are $35 each or two for $60 and can be purchased at www.CapeEducationFund.org. Tickets are also on sale at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth, all Cape district schools, and at the Cape Henlopen School District office on Kings Highway, Lewes. For more information, contact CHEF at 302-319-3366. Visit www.Facebook.com/CapeHenlopenEducationalFoundation.
