“This machine is a lifesaver for me.”

“We will all have immediate benefits from having digital cameras in the classroom.”

“Our students’ education has been enriched by grants that have allowed us to hire visiting artists covering a range of topics.”

These are just a few of the comments from teachers throughout the community of Falmouth about the effect that the Falmouth Education Foundation (FEF) has had on their classrooms, their teaching, and their interaction with students. And those are the kinds of comments that the Foundation loves to hear.

FEF, founded in 1993, enhances educational excellence and promotes innovative student development by supporting programs and initiatives that primarily benefit Falmouth schoolchildren. That support comes in the form of grants, distributed twice a year. The Foundation holds a number of fundraising activities throughout the year in order to be able to distribute grant funds. The Foundation is run by a volunteer group of community members.

The Foundation’s goal is to build an endowed fund so that eventually fundraising activities can be reduced and grant allocations will be made from the endowed fund. A portion of each year’s fundraising total is allocated to the endowed fund, thus, not all monies raised through the fundraising efforts are allocated.

Various fundraising activities are held throughout the year. Each year, community members enjoy the FEF Fall Ball, a dinner/dance and auction, that is always a sell-out. It is the Foundation’s largest fundraiser. Also in the fall, the Foundation sponsors a kitchen tour, with several homes in the Falmouth area opening up their kitchens for the fundraiser. The spring season brings the annual rummage sale and spelling bee. The Falmouth Middle School gymnasium is transformed into one of the largest garage sales ever! And the spelling bee in the High School Theatre brings teams of spellers on to the stage to match their wits and skills.

All of these events allow the Foundation to raise money to give back to the community. From Camp Kieve scholarships and technology upgrades, to guest speakers and visiting artists, to newspaper publishing costs and community orchard improvements, to “Focus Friends” and Community Programs scholarships, to scientific equipment enhancements and outdoor classrooms …these are just a few of the examples of the kinds of projects the Foundation has funded. In the nearly 13-year history of the Foundation, nearly $400,000 has been allocated to the community. In the fall of 2005 alone, the Foundation allocated nearly $46,000.

It’s words like this, from a third grader at Plummer Motz, that underscore the importance of the work of the Foundation: “Thank you so much for the amplification system. It really makes a difference. My learning will go up!”

If you would like to learn more about the Falmouth Education Foundation, please click here.