Eureka Schools Foundation 20 Year Celebration!

 It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since the Eureka Schools Foundation originated!

A group of us gals got together and decided that this was cause for a celebration!

In the early 90's, a Foundation for a public school district was a new concept,

but a small group of parents came together and were determined to raise money for our school district.

And raise money is exactly what they did... a lot of money|!!| through fundraisers

such as the Fall Dinner and Auction, Monte Carlo night, the Golf Tournament and more!

When Mark received a phone call, asking him to be on the Founding Board,

we had just moved to Granite Bay, he was busy building his practice in Roseville,

I had four little children with another one on the way,

 and our oldest, Kimber had just started kindergarten at Greenhills.

We were young, new to the area and busy with our little family,

but we have always felt that whenever we were asked to help, serve or give back, 

we would always say "Yes!"  We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into!  

Mark answered the call and served on that founding board.  

We chaired the first Auction together and then I co-chaired the Auction for 2 more years.

  He served as President of the ESF.  Then I served on the ESF board and as ESF President, 

which lead to me serving on the EUSD School Board for 8 years. 

Work, serve and give is just what we did, 

and through all of the time, energy and effort that we put into all of this, 

we made some of the dearest friends, with whom we have shared some of the riches experiences 

and have made some of the warmest memories, for which I am so deeply grateful!

We developed a love for our little community

 and deep passion for providing the best public education in our schools!

I cherish all the incredible memories that we share with these dear friends in our community 

and grateful that we were able to celebrate 20 wonderful years of the Eureka Schools Foundation!

The steering committee consisted of Renee Nash, Marisa Schorer, 

Paige Stauss, me, Marge Blumenfeld, Kim Nash, and Donna Garton. 

 Love these gals and can't wait to plan, organize and throw another party with them!

 The simple but darling table centerpieces.

 The ESF timeline that Paige Stauss made with the ESF history and lots of photos.

 I loved looking at some of the old photos from the 90's, the beginning years of the ESF.

 My favorite photo on the ESF timeline, me and my dear friend, Liz Skinner, the night of the Auction in 1998.

 She chaired the Auction that year and I was President of the Foundation.

I think we were on stage and I had just thanked her for all that she did to make that event such a success 

and handed her that large bouquet of flowers when someone snapped this photo of the two of us.  

So glad that they did... love it!!

We have been room moms and worked on the Auction together. 

She is my ski partner and dinner companion at our annual SkiFests in Park City,

and now we are "biking buddies" riding together every Wednesday morning!

Liz is not only everyone's best friend and biggest cheerleader, 

but the most positive person I know!  This gal is the real deal!

 The table centerpieces.  Do they look familiar Allie? 

The table filled with all the yummy hor dourves that the host committee made.

 Our beloved former Superintendent, Ron Feist and his lovely wife, Diane.

 Me and my good friend and Diet Pepsi drinking, Katie Segale.
Can't you just tell that we have a good time together?

 Our new Superintendent, Linda Rooney and her husband.

 Board member, Ryan Jones and his sweet wife, Trici with Linda and Mike Rooney.

 The Rooney's with our gracious host and my next door neighbor, Renee Nash.
This girl is the best and deserves her very own blogpost, which be coming shortly:)!

 We had about 90 former ESF board members in attendance that night.

Most of us were "the old-timers" from the beginning years of the Foundation...

so many good friend that we hadn't see in a while.

We all enjoyed reminiscing about "the good old days!"

 Siting at our table was Russ and Kim Nash.

I first met Kim when she helped with the Auction, then served with Russ on the ESF board 

and then followed him to the school board where we served together for 6 years!

The Nash family is one of the most kind and generous family in Granite Bay!

 Mike and Patty Daly.

 Les and Toni Nedeveld.

 Michael and Donna Garton.

Seriously love the Garton family!

Incredible kids, and wonderful friends!

Donna has always been my "partner in crime!"

Whenever I get a crazy idea, usually involving fundraising for the schools,

she is always willing to be right by my side, making sure that it happens

and making sure that everything is a success!!

Love her dearly!

 Me and Mark

 The original Auction chairs, Toni Nederveld, me and Paty Daly.

I have so many great memories of working with these two wonderful gals,

 planning and organizing the ESF Dinner and Auction, 3 years in a row.

 Paige Stauss spoke about each one of the founding board members 

and gave them an engraved paperweight from the host committee.
Here is Jan Pinney and Paige together, both of them now serve on the Roseville Joint Union High School board.
And who would have thought in those early years on the founding ESF board
 that two of the board members would someday be related??
Founding board member, Jan Pinney's grandson, 
Justin Larkin is married to founding board member, Mark Holt's daughter, our Allie!
As I said, it was a pretty incredible group of people 
and it's fun to see how all these years later that our lives are so interconnected
and that we are still such dear friends and in our case... family:)!

 Here she is presenting Ron Feist his gift.

 And presenting Dad's gift to him.

 And here is a photo of the original founding Eureka School Foundation board,

Ron Feist, Neil Doerhoff, Mark, Eric Stauss, Jan Pinney, Patty Gillespie, Marge and Rick Blumenfeld.

What a great group!!

And of course, I have to include a photo of me and my friend, Marci.

I had to take this photo because we always sit at the same table at the Auction and take a photo together, 

but I'm going to be in NYC with Kimber in November attending her baby shower,
and for the first time in years and years I will miss the Auction!

So Marci and I decided that we had to take our traditional "Auction photo" last night.

As you can tell, I love having traditions that last throughout the years

and wonderful friends to make lasting memories and building those traditions together.