Write a commentThe Port City Educational Foundation (PCEF) was founded in 2009 with a mission to help local schools gain financial assistance in order to better the education in Oswego schools.
PCEF president Mary Slimmer meets monthly with the eight other board members discuss their goal of providing educational opportunities to the community of Oswego.
"Schools have to cut their budget more and more all the time and with more and more demands so we want to be there for them," Slimmer said. "We wanted to help teachers, students (and) families who couldn't afford educational materials or perhaps teachers wanted to teach something that they couldn't get money for through this district, we would want to provide money for that."
Slimmer explained that the foundation is not only striving to help students, families and teachers with materials but they are also striving to provide funds for educational programs as well, such as ESL (English as a Second Language).
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The foundation has already helped a student gain a scholarship to Camp Hollis for this summer, but Slimmer explained the difficult task of soliciting any financial aid from the community.
"At first, we weren't going to do fundraisers," Slimmer said. "We were hoping that we would be able to find a proper donor, but Oswego is such a small community that the same corporations are asked over and over again to help non-profit organizations."
However, Slimmer has not given up the attempt of finding ways to gain financial support in order to give it back to the schools in the community.
"We sent out letters to all educators and other people in the community as well asking for donations," Slimmer said. "We were so pleased by the generous donations that we got but it was not enough to put in a fund that will keep growing and growing."
She continues to plan more fundraisers in order to help fund educational programs, such as the chicken barbeque fundraiser set for Sept. 22 at The Oswego Elks Lodge.
Slimmer has established a set of three goals for the organization to accomplish in the future.
"We want to get financial resources for the community and then distribute them according to the applications we receive (for financial aid)," Slimmer said. "We want to promote community awareness for the foundation and what we have accomplished. We want to provide a vehicle for those who want to donate or to contribute for the purpose of enhancing learning in the community."
Slimmer hopes that with small steps, like supplying the scholarship for Camp Hollis, the community will be inspired to help Port City Educational Foundation reach its goal of aiding schools.
Another accomplishment of the organization is establishing itself as an educational aid in the community during the last four years.
"Even just establishing Port City Educational Foundation is an accomplishment in itself," said Slimmer. "A lot goes into making an organization work and so far, we're doing a really great job in establishing ourselves as an educational aid in our community."
Slimmer encourages the community to become involved in the fundraisers Port City Educational Foundation holds.
"If anyone would like to volunteer in our fundraisers, such as the chicken barbeque fundraiser, it would be a great help," she said.
Right now, Slimmer is focused on helping the Oswego community understand the value of education.
"I'd like the community to gain a better understanding of the value of all types of education," Slimmer said. "Schools are not the only place where we learn skills to be a successful community member. We want to help those who need help to pursue learning opportunities."
To volunteer or for more information on Port City Educational Foundation, you may reach Mary Slimmer at 315-343-4404. Ideas for fundraisers or donations may be sent to Port City Educational Foundation, 157 E. First St., Suite 15, Oswego.
