School District 95 Educational Foundation Ready, Set For Fun Run/Walk

School District 95 Educational Foundation is a relatively young organization but has already made its mark raising almost $250,000 for Lake Zurich District 95 students, teachers and schools.

The Foundation started about two years ago with the goal of raising funds to get technology, software and other educational tools into the hands of students and teachers, said Lora Rampino, a new board member.

Rampino learned about the foundation through her work at her children’s school PTO. She has a student at Middle School North and Spencer Loomis Elementary School.

While it’s a relatively new organization, the Foundation has raised close to its goal of $250,000, Rampino said.  To date, it’s about $5,000 shy of the goal, she said.

Recently, the Foundation awarded $8,000 in grants to teachers throughout the District for items that help students with learning, she said.

Its two main fundraisers are an auction held in February or March and this weekend’s Fun Run/Walk.

The 5k run and 1-mile walk will be held at Heritage Park on Sunday, Sept. 15. On site registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the race starts at 9 a.m. The cost is $30 for the 5K and $15 for the 1 mile.

It’s a family event, she said. Her kids are going to walk the 1-mile walk, available for people who don’t want to run. There’s also an award ceremony at the end of the race. Everyone who participates receives a T-shirt.

Pea Pod and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital became sponsors this year, bringing the total to seven sponsors _ more than last year, she said.

A 100 people have signed up and Rampino hopes to have more people come out the day of the race.

A part of the Foundation’s work is raising awareness about its mission within the community, she said.

“We need the community to realize this is for the entire district and benefits everyone,” she said. The more the foundation gets the word out, the more fundraising it can do, she said.

“Every dollar counts,” Rampino said.