Student Foundation holds inaugural fundraiser in New Paltz

New Paltz Central School District Foundation for Student Enhancement is inviting everyone in town to come and check out what they’re about during a special Harvest Social & Silent Auction at the Rock and Rye Tavern. The $50-per-plate dinner is the Foundation’s first real event, and the Oct. 15 fundraiser is meant to celebrate the beginning of a new school year. “The idea of the evening is to mingle and talk about what the Foundation is all about,” said Susan Hill, the Foundation’s secretary.

New Paltz Foundation for Student Enhancement was set up in April to help give local supporters a chance to donate and preserve the quality of education in the local schools–– even in the face of state and federal cuts.

“New Paltz historically has just had such a fantastic program,” organizer Dawn Rich said. “We just want to do whatever we can to keep that alive.”

One project that people will have a chance to donate to during the silent auction is one to bring more Barnes & Noble Nook e-readers into the library to keep New Paltz students up on the latest in tablet computing technology.

People who come out this weekend can expect some pretty great prizes to bid on during the silent auction, Rich said.

There are restaurant gift cards, fitness passes, tickets to a Giants versus Cowboys NFL game, Unison Arts Center tickets and even a chance for a free massage.

“The business community is always so generous when it comes to things like this,” Rich said. “We’ve gotten over $4,000 in sponsorships for the event.”

Hill agreed: “There’s a whole bunch of auction donations.”

Tickets are $50 per person, but that includes hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine and soda. You can purchase tickets at the district office, 1 Henry W. Dubois Drive, from Foundation board members, at the door of the event at Rock and Rye, or online at the website https://npschoolfoundation.org.

The silent auction is from 5-8 p.m. The auction winners are announced between 8 and 9 p.m.

For more information, call Susan Hill at 255-5650 or e-mail her at info@npschoolfoundation.org. For more about the Foundation itself, head to https://npschoolfoundation.org/mission-2/. ++