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The Garberville Rotary Club welcomed three local volunteers and mothers to speak at the club’s weekly meeting last Tuesday. Linda Brodersen from the Save Our Schools Foundation (SOS), and Joanne Herbert and Rupda Lambley from PULSE (Parents United for Leisure, Sports and Education) spoke about their organizations and our local schools.
SOS, which is beginning its 20th year, was the brainchild of local resident Dana Dimmick and other community members. Dimmick and other community members felt that due to the lack of funding from federal, state, and local taxes, something needed to be done to raise money for our schools. Brodersen is the only founding member left. Although SOS is supporting PULSE and it’s efforts, Brodersen wanted to make it very clear that SOS is not only supporting the fundraising efforts at South Fork High School, but all the schools in the Southern Humboldt Unified School District (SHUSD).
She said, “As you know we focus a lot on raising money for art and music programs in the schools in our district. But it is not all that we raise money for.”
Although SOS and PULSE have joined forces to help raise the much-needed funds for South Fork, Brodersen said, “The Foundation raises money for all our schools and we are not abandoning that premise. I repeat - we will not stop raising funds for all our schools in the school district.” A letter was sent home to Redway School parents to clarify what SOS is doing and explaining where the money has been distributed. This past November, SOS distributed $23,500 to our local schools.
o Redway School - $3,200 for Poets in the Schools program and $5,000 to Hal Lepoff’s music and violin program.
o Whitethorn School - $2,000 for Internet, monthly fees, and music.
o Ettersburg School - $500 for music program.
o Agnes J. Johnson School - $2,000 for music program.
o Casterlin School - $1,500 for music and aikido programs.
o South Fork High School - $6,300, which included $3,000 for English novels, $500 for the math department, $500 for PE equipment, $500 for science materials and equipment, $500 for office printers, $500 for Vocational Education, $300 for the social studies department, and $500 for supplies and materials at Osprey Learning Center.
o South Fork and Redway School also received $3,000 for new music instruments under the direction of Paul Schmollinger.
Brodersen also noted that Lepoff’s program also raised $6,100 with its own fundraising events. SOS’s main fundraising sources include their annual membership drive, which will be starting shortly, special dinners and events like Mardi Gras, Arts Are Alive, summer music festivals, silent auctions, and donations. This year’s Mardi Gras is scheduled to be held the last week in February at Toph’s House in Benbow. She also thanked John and Teresa Porter for all the help the Benbow Inn has provided to our schools over the years, especially during the past Super Schools Fundraisers.
Brodersen expressed her gratitude to the Garberville Rotary Club for allowing SOS to hold the silent auction during Casino Night held recently at the Mateel Community Center in Redway. The auction raised $2,190 for the schools and she wanted to thank everyone who donated and purchased auction items.
She said SOS is very proud of the new Community Learning Center at South Fork. She said, “This was made possible by generous donations, many hard-working people working at various events and organizations such as Rotary. Between SOS and Rotary, $45,000 went into that old library at South Fork High School. I think this is a testament to the community we live in and of course, the people that live here.”
She said, “The Foundation operates within the school district’s strict accounting practices. We are considered a fiduciary account within the district. Our books are audited every year just like the school district’s. The executive committee members felt this was the best way to account for all donations and expenditures that take place within our schools.”
Those who would like to contribute have the option of designating where they want their donation directed. If you would like to contribute to SOS, there is a special account set up at the Community Credit Union (#7835). If you want to make a donation directly to PULSE to go towards the South Fork High School fundraiser, please make your checks out to SOS for SFHS.
SOS for SFHS is a separate campaign to raise money for much-needed funds for textbooks, supplies, materials, and bathroom and weight room repairs at the high school. This is a grassroots effort started by a group of people concerned about the condition of the school.
Rupda Lambley and Joanne Herbert are spearheading PULSE. To date over $25,000 has been raised with a goal of $73,000. She said, “The spirits of the teachers has been lifted and they are very excited.”
The class of 1959 has taken the lead with donations totally approximately $17,000 and members of that class are networking with other classmates and alumni. Many school districts have active alumni that support their alma mater and it is hoped that South Fork can expand this base. Lambley said they are looking for someone to help with contacting past class presidents.
PULSE member Joanne Herbert said, “Most of the kids here end up at South Fork and we want them to be proud of their school.” She said she was appalled at the condition of the weight room with the worn out equipment and graffiti. She also said some of the English books are from the 1960s and are literally falling apart.
Lambley said there are lights in some of the classrooms that don’t work because they can’t get the parts to fix them anymore. On gloomy days teachers have to plug in other lights so that the students can see. The bathrooms are also in need of attention, along with the aging water system.
Lambley thanked John Angus for all his hard work on the beautiful brochures he put together for the organization. She also thanked The Redwood Times and The Independent for their support in publishing articles submitted by PULSE and SOS. If you would like to help improve South Fork High School please call Rupda at 223-4345 or email her at rupda@soulsculpting.com. If you are an alumni, please include your name, contact information and what year your graduated.
School board president and Rotarian Dennis O’Sullivan said the district is looking at various options to help with repairs and improvements at the high school. There has even been a suggestion to build a new school complex up at the Meadows Business Park between Garberville and Redway.
REDWOOD TIMES PHOTOS BY SUSAN GARDNER
Linda Brodersen, left, from Save Our Schools (SOS), is shown here with Garberville Rotary President Peter Connolly, and Joanne Herbert and Rupda Lambley from PULSE (Parents United for Leisure, Sports and Education).
Linda Brodersen, left, receives a $1,000 check from Kelly Lehman representing Umpqua Bank. The money will be split with $500 going to the South Fork Sports Program and the other $500 to Hal Lepoff’s music program at Redway School.
