Donna Pedota, OSF Board Chair, conducting Paddle Up
Ann Vernon
Ten years ago, the Oracle Schools Foundation became a 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission was to provide educational opportunities to students at the Mountain Vista School in Oracle, with free preschool to three- and four-year-olds being our priority. And provide we have! Thanks to so many SaddleBrooke and Ranch residents, as well as local businesses, in 10 years, we have raised over $1 million! We think that is something to celebrate!
Each year we hold an auction in conjunction with our Spring Fling Gala, which occurred on March 15. Once again, the event was sold out almost immediately, and a spirited group of guests mixed and mingled and bid on 67 silent auction items, including the ever-popular made-to-order pies, cakes, casseroles, soups, and appetizers. Guests also lined up to sign up for one or more of the wonderful 25 fixed price events, including house concerts, theme dinners, golf packages, and much more. Popular live auction items included the “famous” SaddleBrooke One Library dinner; timeshares in Scottsdale, Cottonwood, and Escondido; and a week’s retreat at a beautiful home in Show Low during the summer. We want to thank all the donors for their generous contributions, which contributed to a very high-quality auction.
Maria Menconi, the second president of the Foundation, spoke about the impact we are making by educating two sections of preschoolers and recognized those who had been instrumental in establishing the Foundation. As a Foundation board, we know how instrumental our “Champions” are, and we look forward to seeing you in 2026! Check the website for updates.
There are still some fun fixed price events, which will be posted on the website at www.oracleschoolsfoundation.com. Check your calendars and sign up online. We are always looking for people to host functions or donate to our silent and live auctions, so please consider that for next year, and contact me at vernonann47@gmail.com. With your help, we can continue to support education in Oracle.