EAGLE COUNTY - Fundraising for some schools begins and ends with candy bars and car washes, but there's a lot more money to be made in Vail, and a lot more money is needed.

Clever and inventive fundraisers are necessary for schools to survive in the valley. Colorado spends about $551 less per student than the national average, according to the US Census Bureau, but these schools still need money for library books, teaching materials and assemblies, among other things. Private schools count on heavy fundraising to keep tuition as low as possible and to offer scholarships.

But with more than 20 schools around, both public and private, how do educators get not only the parents writing checks, but everyone else too - even those couples without kids?

People here are usually generous - but there's a certain amount of fatigue associated with donating money. Schools have to create something memorable to succeed and bring those people in.

"It is a competitive fundraising environment and you need to do whatever you can to stand out," Eagle County School District Spokeswoman Melinda Gladitsch said. "You can only sell so much wrapping paper."

Education funding How much does it cost each day to educate a student in Eagle County School District? Bus service: $2.42 Construction: $2.92 Debt Payments: $7.36 Grants: $2.55 School Lunch: $1.49 Student Fundraising: $1.39 General Operations: $46.89 Total: $65.02 Source: Eagle County Schools 2005-2006 Annual Report

Ghostly Gala

The trick, as demonstrated by successful fundraisers like Wild West Day for the public elementaries and the Mardi Gras Ball for Vail Christian High School and St. Clare, is creating a niche, a trademark, something that people look forward to doing every year.

It could be as simple as selling your own blend of coffee, as Minturn and Berry Creek middle schools are doing, or maybe it's a chili cookoff like Red Canyon High School.

The Vail Mountain School has been doing their Home Tours fundraiser for 35 years, and it brings in money they regularly count on, money they budget for. People know its coming, and the school gets calls early in the year from people wanting to make sure they'll have it again.

"The Home Tour has universal appeal because a lot of people want to see inside these nice homes," said Nancy Young, director of development at Vail Mountain School. "People make plans every year just to come to the Home Tour."

Part of the appeal in some of these fundraisers is they aren't exactly kid-centric. They're for the adults. They've become sophisticated affairs with auctions, dinner, dancing and alcohol.

Eagle County Charter Academy's Ghostly Gala, held every year around Halloween, features a lot of food, strange costumes and themes like "Mowtown Monster Ball." They auction off trips to the Kentucky Derby and vacations to Maui. The fundraiser brought in more than $100,000 last year and regularly brings in many people without kids at the school.

Minturn Middle School recently held their Beer, Food and Wine Expedition and does other things like open mic nights where they transform their gym into something that looks like a coffeehouse.

"It wasn't just parents of our kids coming to these," Minturn Middle School Principal Toni Boush said.

Kentucky Derby

Schools also learn to set some limits. They don't like hitting up the same businesses over and over again, and they don't like parents having to volunteer to set up a dozen fundraisers. So, a couple big ones make a lot of money and keep kids from going door to door.

Wild West Days is the main fundraiser for the Eagle County School District's elementary schools, and they try to keep it at that.

"They do one big event, and they split the money between the elementary schools, then they try not to go back to those same businesses who helped out," Gladitsch said.

Young said it helps that parents usually take notice of businesses who donate and try their best to become patrons.

Beth O'Riley, assistant principal at Eagle County Charter Academy, said they've had to cut out some fundraisers because it's too overwhelming for teachers and parents. They stick with a few - the Ghostly Gala, a golf tournament, and the old standby, selling wrapping paper, candles and chocolate.

"We used to have a big rummage sale, but it became too much," O'Riley said. "It takes a lot of hours, and you have to pick and choose the best ones."

Stone Creek Elementary needed a lot of money very quickly to pay off debts, but they raised more than $120,000 without a major fundraising event. They've been thriving on the generosity of parents, but will soon have some big fundraisers like a Kentucky Derby and golf tournament.

Then again, as Vail Academy shows, you can still raise a good $10,000 with wrapping paper and chocolate.



Staff writer Matt Terrell can be reached at 748-2955 or mterrell@vaildaily.com.