AEF sponsors book fair

By Ryan Palencer

AVON December 01, 2008 04:49 pm

— RYAN PALENCER/FLYER PHOTO
Guest Dionna Kann reads to children at the Barnes and Noble store in Avon on Saturday as part of the AEF Book Fair.

The Avon Education Foundation sponsored a book fair at the Barnes and Noble here on Saturday.
“This is the first time we have had a book fair,” said Pam DeWeese, president of the AEF. “The event is, that anyone who comes and purchases a book is informed at the checkout that they are supporting Avon schools and the Avon Education Foundation. A portion of the proceeds are then donated to the foundation. We then turn around and give the money to the students and schools in various ways.”
Next week, the foundation will be donating dictionaries to all of the third-grade classes at all of the schools in Avon. DeWeese said the foundation also provides grants to teachers. She said they had given more than $10,000 in grants to improve classroom environments.
The AEF is a non-profit organization formed a year and a half ago to support the Avon School Corporation.
“Our mission is to support the children of Avon schools,” DeWeese said. “We try to find different fundraising activities to do besides just individual donations, which are much appreciated.”
In addition to the proceeds being donated, the foundation also sponsored a face painting station at the book store. They teamed up with the Indiana Pacers to have a guest reader for the children. Dionna Kann, the fiancé of Pacer star Danny Granger was on hand to read to the children attending the event.
“Every year, the Pacers do some type of charity event,” Kann said. “I always enjoy getting out and being around children. It’s a great opportunity for me. I actually went to school to be a teacher. Anything that I can do with kids, I enjoy.”
The AEF began as just a vision and now has 14 board members. DeWeese said she began the foundation by simply asking friends to join and spread the word.
“There are many school corporations that have foundations,” DeWeese said. “Avon did not have one. It has always been in the back of my mind. It just took the right combination of people and time.”
The foundation also has another bonus.
“The nice thing is, this is all without tax dollars,” DeWeese said. “Tax dollars only go so far to support the basic curriculum. We’re able to embellish the curriculum and the offerings to our students without tax dollars.”

ryan.palencer@flyergroup.com

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