February 2, 2015 - Gillespie, Illinois - “For the Love of Education” Trivia Night raised more than $8,000 for the school children of Community Unit School District #7 (CUSD#7) on Saturday night. “One hundred percent of the funds will be devoted to classroom mini-grants,” said John Fassero, Jr., president of The Partnership for Educational Excellence, which hosted the evening.
The Partnerships is a 501c3, IRS-chartered not-for-profit education foundation. “The ‘For the Love of Education’ trivia night is our one-and-only fund raiser,” said Fassero, “so we are especially gratified at the great response we once again received. The money raised is the equivalent of 16 future classroom mini-grants. So this generosity is very significant in expanding educational opportunities for our school children.”
Twenty-seveb teams of ten players, including several teams of teachers, played. All three CUSD#7 principals, Lori Emmons (high school), Jill Rosentreter (middle school), and Angela Turcol (elementary school) played. The Gillespie Civic Center was filled with chatter and cheers as teams competed.
The winning team with 72 points was Jan Dona’s; they donated back $120 of their $150 prize money. The second place team, captained by Louis Weiss from Mulberry Grove won $100. The third place Drew Ford team donated back their $50 prize money.
In addition, more than 120 local and regional businesses and individuals donated cash as well as desirable items and valuable services and gift certificates for a silent auction, which netted more than $3,200. Highlights included the donation of a custom- framed, limited edition print on canvas by local artist Roger DeWitt, and an iPod Nano and an iPod Shuffle donated by an anonymous benefactor.
The Partnership in the past 22 years has donated more than $700,000 to enhance the educations of all students in accredited schools in CUSD#7. Its motto is: “Only on the foundation of education can our children build useful lives and a stable society.” You can learn more and donate at www.thepartnership7.org (please note our new e-mail address!) and at P.O. Box 125, Gillespie IL 62033.
Donors to the 2014 event were:
- Accents Florists and Gift Shop
- Ageless
- Anonymous
- Ariston
- Auto Zone
- Avon - Alice Tieman
- Baima Distributing
- Bates Motor Co.
- Dr. Steven Boente and Dr. Nicolas Kravanya
- Jan Brett - Author
- Brooke Buhs
- Casey’s General Store - Benld
- Century 21 - Deb Rossetto
- Cheesecake Factory
- Ken and Judy Cordum
- Country Financial - Tina Olroyd
- Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
- The Croatian Club
- The Cubby Hole
- CUSD7
- D&A Corvette
- Dairy Queen - Gillespie
- Daley-Bruckert Chevrolet - Staunton
- Dee Dee’s Flower Shop
- Roger DeWitt - Painted Prairie
- Kathi Durbin Salon
- Drummond Law Office LLC
- Village of Eagarville
- Enertech - Mike Rossetto
- Farmers Insurance - Adam Tallman
- John and Linda Fassero
- Fema’s
- Firehouse Salon
- Fireside Eye Care - Shawna Heddinghaus
- First National Bank of Benld
- Fleming Tawfall & Co. PC
- Garella Pest Services
- Gateway Grizzlies
- Gazda Insurance Agency Inc.
- Get Nailed Salon - Wendy Rolando
- Goodman Agency Inc.
- Nanci and Bill Grandone
- Gina Gucciardo CPA
- Heritage Health
- Hicks Maytag Home Appliance Center
- Hidden Valley Ski Resorts
- JoDanni’s Amore
- Kravanya Families
- La Bella Fiori - Abby Dillon
- Litchfield Park District
- Litchfield Sports Inc.
- Macoupin Family Practice - Dr. Bruce Weber and Dr. Chris Poirot
- The Magic House
- Magnuson Grand Hotel
- Mayfield-Mullins Landscaping
- McDonald’s - Litchfield
- McKay Auto Parts/NAPA
- Mi Casita Mexican Restaurant
- Michelle’s Pharmacy
- Miner’s Family Restaurant
- MotoMart
- Village of Mt. Clare
- My Sister’s Closet
- Neuhaus Heating and A/C Inc.
- O’Reilly Auto Parts
- Oriental Trading Co. Inc.
- Dean and Cate Plovich
- Donna and Bob Prevedell
- Quality Flooring - Andy Houser
- Quality Motors - Larry Norville
- Randy’s Market - The Troutwines
- Reid’s Service Heating and Cooling
- Republic Recycling and Waste Services
- Rocco’s Pizza
- Roma’s Pizza
- Scentsy - Jamie Johnson
- Sarah Schweppe - Massage
- Scheels
- Shell Food Mart - Gillespie
- Smiles Plus - Dr. Roy Northcutt
- The Springfield Municipal Opera
- St. Louis Cardinals
- Stan’s Barber Shop
- Star Nails - Litchfield
- Subway - Gillespie
- Sullivan’s Drug Store - Gillespie
- Superwash Car Wash - Gillespie
- Tastefully Simple - Carol Miller
- Rose Marie and Ralph Tebbe
- TJs
- Toni’s Family Restaurant
- Tropical Sno - The Waymans
- Dave Tucker
- Turney Heating & Cooling
- United Community Bank
- Verticchio & Verticchio Attorneys at Law
- VFW Post #4547
- Victory Lane Ford
- Westside Cinema
- Wildcat Paintball Park, Inc.
- The Village of Wilsonville
- Wimanoma’s Pride - Marsha Bauer
... AND GENEROUS WINNERS, First Place Team Dona, Third Place Team Drew Ford, and to 50/50 winner Paul Madden, who donated back most or all of their winnings!
... AND OUR STUDENT VOLUNTEERS: Levi and Luke Hatlee, Stephen DeMartini, Vincent Tesio, Michael Ross, Jake Kirkwood, Olivia Friese, Ella and Lily Heddinghaus!
... AND ALL THREE CUSD7 PRINCIPALS - Lori Emmons, Jill Rosentreter, and Angela Turcol – who played as did MANY TEACHERS from Ben-Gil Elementary School, Gillespie Middle School, and Gillespie High School.
....THANKS from The Partnership’s Board of Directors
John Fassero, Jr., President; Shawna Heddinghaus,Vice President; Judy Cordum, Secretary; Nikki Katich, Treasurer; Brandi Bunn; Patty DeMartini; Nanci Grandone, Founder; Scott Mock; Donna Prevedell; Katie Ronald; Carole Scheller; Rose Marie Tebbe; Don Throne
– Like us on Facebook
– Drop a line to: P.O. Box 125
Gillespie IL 62033