EFO is thrilled to announce its proud sponsorship of Grandparents’ Day 2012.

Grandparents of Del Rey and Wager Ranch students are invited to campus on March 16, while grandparents of Sleepy Hollow and Glorietta students will be welcome on campus on March 23.

From 8:00 to 10:30 am, grandparents are invited to visit their grandchild’s school for breakfast and a warm welcome, by the principal, join in interactive classroom lessons with the kids, and tour the campus and some enrichment facilities. Don’t miss out!

Register for Grandparents Day Today

Everyone is welcome and it’s free to attend, but we’d like to know who’s coming. While not required, if you know you’re coming please register for Grandparents’ Day 2012 by March 6.  By registering, the teachers, staff and EFO volunteers can plan for each grandparent’s visit to their classrooms and campus.

We hope to lots of grandparents attend and show support for their grandchildren and Orinda schools.

By planning now for donations in the future, you’ll have a variety of ways to ensure Orinda schools have the community support needed to continue to provide the quality education we all value.

Some examples of planned giving include bequests made through testamentary devices such as wills, retirement plans, and revocable trusts, as well as lifetime gifts that provide income payments to donors and their beneficiaries. Life income gifts such as charitable gift annuities, and the charitable remainder trusts typically involve present-day transfers of gift assets, immediate tax advantages and continuing income streams to the donor, with future distributions to EFO for its specific charitable purposes.

In addition to the philanthropic and potential tax benefits derived from EFO bequests, Legacy Society members receive invitations to special EFO events and are recognized in EFO’s Annual Report. The first 50 members will receive one of these limited edition lapel pins too!

Learn more about the new Legacy Society and how to join today.

The artwork will be on display at the Orinda Library Gallery from March 1 to 28.

All Visual Artists Are Welcome

The competition has three categories and cash prizes of up to $300 will be awarded in each category.

• Photography: manual and all digital arts
• 2D: painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media and collage
• 3D: ceramics, sculpture, jewelry and construction

Judges will be looking for creativity, originality, content and the degree of expertise in the specific medium.

Cash Prizes

Based on years past, competition will be fierce! The judges will surely have their work cut out for them to find the best of the best. On March 7, at the Artists & Awards Reception, a total of $2,550 in prizes will be handed out.

• 1st Place $300
• 2nd Place $200
• 3rd Place $100
• Honorable Mention $25

Enter by February 17

Applications are due by February 17, and entrants will have to have their work delivered to the Orinda Library Art Gallery on February 29.

To enter online and for all the details, visit the Orinda Arts Council website.

Please share this with your friends, post to Facebook and help get the word out by using the links below.

We want to see all the budding artists from Orinda in the show. After all, funding the arts from kindergarten through high school is a major part of EFO’s commitment to Orinda schools. Without EFO funding, in fact, there would be no arts in the elementary schools or OIS and significantly less available to Miramonte students.

In fact, every month we receive a check from ROC. In less than two years, we’ve received over $4,400 from Republic of Cake!

We asked Peter and Chih why they’ve made community giving an important part of their business and here’s what Peter said:

A solid education is one that includes the arts in addition to academics: such as music, dance, and drama. This solid education should begin in the formative years and be carried through all levels of higher education. It’s not possible to provide such an education if there are not the educators to guide students and the tools on hand for both to use. It’s the responsibility of every adult, regardless if they have children, to provide the means from which a good education is possible.

Chih and I feel we have a civic duty not only to give back to the community, but to ensure those in our society who do not have a voice are at least provided with the basic skills to become effective members of society so that they may change the system whereby education is given a higher priority and better funding.

In addition to EFO, ROC also contributes to Seattle Children’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital Oakland, POISE (Parents of Orinda Individuals in Special Education), Orinda Arts Council and many others.

Thank you, Republic of Cake, for your delicious, fresh cupcakes and ongoing support for EFO. We ask you, Orinda, to help ROC help us and think of them next time you need a wonderful dessert or afternoon treat.

Benefit tickets are $45 for orchestra seating and available for the following Winter Program performances: Lesher Center for the Arts, January 20-21 and the Novellus Theater at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, February 17 and 19.

Company C’s Exciting 2012 Program

Founder and Artistic Director Charles Anderson has announced the 10th anniversary 2012 season of Company C Contemporary Ballet that he describes as inspired by fearless artistry, style and entertainment. The season embodies a look back at the Company’s significant accomplishments and a vision forward to the kind of dynamic, witty, diverse and relevant dance that has held it at the forefront of Bay Area performing arts for a decade.

Kids Get in Free January 21

Plus, for the matinee performance at the Lesher Center for the Arts January 21 at 3 p.m., children 12 and under get in free with purchase of one full-priced benefit ticket. With each adult up to four children may attend. According to Company C children seven and older get the most out of the performance.

Benefit ticket buyers must use the code “ENRICH” when ordering tickets to ensure their discount and support for every full priced benefit ticket sold. Details of programs, dates and venues may be found at the Company C website.

photo and video credits: Company C Ballet

Here’s Joan explaining how the money will be put to good use, as EFO relies on businesses and community organizations for 15% of the total donations collected.And in Orinda, private funds (EFO, Parents’ Clubs, and the parcel tax) make up 32% of the budget of the Orinda Union School District and 24% of the budget of the Acalanes High School District (Miramonte).

We thank the Kiwanis for another year of support and very much appreciate their commitment to the local public schools.

Every time you search the Internet at GoodSearch.com, EFO earns money and the more you search, the more we make. Add up the money generated from all your searches and those done by the everyone else in the community who we hope will use GoodSearch, and we can make a real difference.

Fifty percent of the revenue generated from the sponsored search advertisers on GoodSearch is shared with EFO. And every time you shop at GoodShop, EFO receives a portion of the of the sale. The amount donated is different for each retailer but it averages approximately 3% of the total sale and can go up to 20% and beyond (the percentage donated is indicated below the merchants logo). The total amount raised can quickly add up and the sky is the limit. The more people shop through GoodSearch, the more money will be directed towards EFO.

Start using GoodSearch today and EFO starts earning money every time you search or shop.

The Korn Law Group supports the Educational Foundation of Orinda because it allows Orinda’s public schools to develop well-rounded individuals through small classes and by funding the arts. The staff at the Korn Law Group’s Orinda office either have children who are currently attending Orinda’s public schools or have graduated from Orinda’s public schools. Further, Kathryn Korn is a past president of the parents clubs at OIS and Miramonte.

Korn Law Group specializes in estate planning, asset protection for long-term care, conservatorships and special needs matters, trust administration, and elder law.

Thank you, Korn Law Group, for your support!

In order to ensure our public schools have all the programs and staffing we’ve come to expect, EFO has pledged $1,515,000 for the 2011 – 2012 school year. This breaks down to a donation of $575 for each child enrolled in Glorietta, Del Rey, Sleepy Hollow, Wagner Ranch, OIS, and Miramonte.

If you’ve not yet made your donation, please consider making a contribution today and avoid the call from one of your neighbors.

And, if you’d like to help us out on the other side of the phone, please send an email to info@orindaefo.org. Volunteers are needed between 5:15 and 8pm.

Tuesday, Sep 27, 2011
5:30 – 6:30 pm Appetizers – Theatre Square (map)
6:00 – 8:00 pm “Sampling” Downtown Restaurants
8:00 – 8:30 pm Dessert – Theatre Square

San Francisco’s East Bay area food lovers will again have the opportunity to join an expeditionary culinary gathering to savor and sample their way through Orinda restaurants. The Orinda Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Educational Foundation of Orinda (EFO) are conducting the Fourth Annual Orinda Restaurant Tour.

Registration begins at 5:30 in Theater Square. Appetizers, samplings, dessert, and a glass of wine for adults is included. And just getting around is fun! You’ll ride a San Francisco Trolley from restaurant to restaurant.

Each restaurant on the tour will provide a small portion that best represents the establishment at no cost to the event ticket holders.

The cost of an individual ticket purchased in advance will be $30 (tickets purchased at the door of the event will be $35.00) with EFO receiving a contribution from the event proceeds. Reservations will be limited to 250 ticket holders, so attendees are encouraged to reserve early.

The Chamber’s goal is to delight 250 participants—as they enjoy an evening of friendship, and discover the savory surprises the great chefs of the charming town have to offer.