It's back-to-school-time, and lots of local kids have more than just backpacks and binders on their shopping lists. Many families are trying to stretch their budgets to include items ranging from uniforms and shoes to fees for extracurricular activities and sports.
For Tucson Unified School District students in need, the Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club and the Educational Enrichment Foundation (EEF) are grilling up some relief at a Family Picnic and Swim Party from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday.
"We understand that everyone is having budget crunches, especially TUSD, and the Educational Enrichment Foundation is a great organization that is making a difference for students and teachers," said Adrian Korosec, assistant general manager of the Tucson Racquet Club.
"It is helping them get a little bit more out of education than might otherwise be available given the tight resources right now."
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The nonprofit foundation was founded in 1983 by local community and business leaders to provide resources to expand and enrich learning by supporting students and teachers in TUSD.
"Our future in Tucson is dependent on having a prepared work force and educated citizens, and that is part of why we have so many businesses that support us," said EEF Executive Director Lissa Gibbs.
"They understand these are future customers and employees, and it is smart to invest in them while they are in school."
EEF support takes varied forms. It provided 42 classroom grants last year for projects such as a water cistern at Miles Exploratory Learning Center, a Simulated Excavation Program at Van Horne Elementary School and Touch the Sky -Using Wireless Technologies to Teach Math - at Pueblo Magnet High School.
The foundation grants 30 to 35 annual college scholarships and more than 700 interscholastic scholarships for middle and high school students unable to pay the $50 participation fee per activity for extracurricular activities and team sports.
Other EEF services include a clothing bank, Shoe Shopping Days that supplied students with 930 pairs of shoes and nearly 3,000 pairs of socks last year and school supplies distributed at 60 school sites.
The foundation has a mentoring program, fund for the hearing-impaired, a program to provide vision examinations and eyeglasses, a Tucson Community Food Bank Program and a General Special Needs Fund that provided 179 Sun Tran passes for students last year.
The racquet club's Korosec said supporting the 56,000 students in the state's second-largest school district is central to building a strong community.
"When we find organizations like the Educational Enrichment Foundation that are making a difference, we like to support them because we are giving back to our members as well as the general community," he said.
If You Go
The Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club's Family Picnic & Swim Party to Benefit the Educational Enrichment Foundation.
When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday.
Where: Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club, 4001 N. Country Club Road.
Cost: $12 per adult for the general public; $10 for adult Tucson Racquet Club members; $5 per child.
Etc: Festivities include your choice of Angus burger, veggie burger, chicken breast or bratwurst with two side summer salads, lemonade or iced tea and a cookie.
Guests will have access to the club's pools, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts and playground equipment.
Live music will be provided by the oldies cover band Still Cruisin'.
For more information or to make a donation to the EEF, go to www.tusd.k12.az.us/eef/ default.html or call 325-8688.
Contact freelance writer Loni Nannini at ninch2@comcast.net
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