Fundraiser for La Cañada Unified puts Educational Foundation in a golden state of mind
La Cañada school supporters had a totally tubular time Saturday at the Langham Huntington in Pasadena, turning out for the La Cañada Flintridge Educational Foundation’s 25th Annual Spring Gala.
This year’s theme “California Dreamin’” was a semi-relaxed change of pace from the high glitz and glamour of last year’s Bond-inspired “Casino Royale,” LCFEF Executive Director Deborah Weirick said Monday.
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“It’s always hard to beat whatever you did last year, so we just thought, ‘let’s take a different approach,’” she said. “We wanted to look at all of the wonderful things about California. We have so much to celebrate in our state, so much beauty and so much we’re good at.”
An area where the state has historically struggled, however, is public school funding, which is why groups like LCFEF exist to this day, Weirick said. In that vein, Saturday’s rally helped raise a collective $550,000 for the La Cañada Unified School District.
The bulk of the funds raised will allow the foundation to continue its ongoing commitment to districtwide priorities, such as class-size reduction, elementary level art, music and drama programs, school counselors and other initiatives. This year’s target is to match last year’s $2.1 million in giving.
Special funds raised in Saturday’s paddle pledge — more than $170,000 — will go toward new K-12 science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs from national nonprofit Project Lead the Way. Part of a wider curriculum shift at LCUSD, a series of new elective classes will be rolled out next year.
A highlight of the event came when male members of the LCFEF Board of Directors dressed like the ‘70s band the Village People to perform the 1978 hit song “Y.M.C.A.”
“It takes a village,” Weirick quipped, “literally and figuratively.”
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
