Color Blast!

While the coronavirus pandemic has affected a number of school events this year, the Grafton Education Foundation is adapting to carry on its mission of supporting students and teachers.

Last month, the organization held an online Color Blast event, which has traditionally been held on the Grafton High School football field. The event involved 158 families and raised $10,000, doubling its goal of $5,000.

“Even though we didn’t have events in spring, we’re still there for our schools,” event co-organizer Sara Cooper said.

“We want to support our teachers and staff because we are a community.”

The annual Soupor Bowl event, which is the foundation’s largest fundraiser, will be replaced next month by A Night of Giving that will also be held online.

“This event was originally scheduled as an in-person event this spring, but Covid obviously led us to change those plans,” organizer Amy Swenson said.

The event will feature an online auction with a portion of the evening streaming live, including the drawing for a $10,000 reverse raffle. Tickets are being sold for $100.

Cooper said the foundation plans to continue its Portraits in the Park this fall because it allows families to have their pictures taken at Veterans Park while maintaining social-distancing guidelines. 

The organization is also in the process of mailing letters to residents for its annual Seeds to Harvest campaign.

Since 2011, the foundation has awarded more than $350,000 in grants. Last year, it provided more than $54,000 to Grafton schools.

For more information about the upcoming A Night of Giving event, visit www.graftoneducationfoundation.org/night-of-giving.