By Brigette Rambadt

Executive Director of Austin Public Education Foundation

Please save the date and join the Austin Public Education Foundation in the 17th annual Packer Classic Golf Event on Monday, July 14, at the Austin Country Club.

This is the biggest fundraiser used by the foundation to enhance education in our Austin Public Schools. Funds raised at this occasion elevate the educational opportunities throughout the school district by providing grants to teachers, bringing in enrichment programs, helping with the purchase of new equipment and instruments, and affording students as well as teachers with inspiring learning experiences that would not be funded through the school district.

There are many ways to participate in the Packer Classic golf event: as a sponsor, as a golfer or with your time and talents. The Packer Classic has five different sponsorship packages still available and continues to seek items for the streamlined super ticket auction. The pursuit for interesting raffle items and the hunt for donations is on overdrive. We need you and your ideas.

Sponsorship registration needs to be in by July 3, with player entries due by July 10. Contact Jayna Heimark at 507-676-2248 to register.

As an avid reader of the Austin Daily Herald, you are a vitally connected part of the Austin community and Independent School District No. 492. In partnership we have more than 4,000 students to develop, more than 700 staff and teachers to support, more than 120 years of alumni to enlist, and businesses large and small to connect to our future leaders.

Thank you to the multitude of Austin alumni, parents, businesses and the caring community of people for stepping in and up to improve Austin’s educational opportunities and plant the seeds of success.

The Austin Public Education Foundation has been a helping partner with the school district since 1990 due to the creative energies of people like Mike Ruzek and Peggy Benzkofer. As I now step in as executive director, I am thankful for the abundance of talent in Austin and the networking and stabilizing presence of outgoing director Jayna Heimark, and the counseling and problem solving talents of Dorothy Krob.

For more information about the Packer Classic golf event or the APE Foundation please engage any of these educationally enthusiastic board members: Terry Becker-Ersland, Edwina Harder, Dan Heins, Tom Klapperich, Dick Lees, Jeni Lindberg, Lori Marco, Brigette Rambadt, Erin Shoen and newest member Tammy Watkins.

The APEF website can be accessed through the Austin.k12.mn.us site under the “Community” heading, by mail at P.O. box 878, or by phone at 507-676-2248 or  507-589-5810.