Big changes for WE foundation

The Windsor Education Foundation announced a new president and a
new collaborative approach to fundraise planning this week
following a leadership reorganization at its last meeting.
Longtime WE Foundation board member Bonnie Jean Shelton was
elected as the nonprofit’s new president, a position she said it
was time she take on. She replaces two-time president Karlene
Rebich who stepped down after leading the foundation to $40,000 in
fundraising in the past fiscal year. The foundation supports more
than 5,000 students on six campuses throughout the Windsor Unified
School District.
“I think change promotes growth,” said Rebich. “It doesn’t mean
getting bigger and bigger, but it gets new ideas flowing. I had a
great time and I think the board’s matured. I’ll remain an active
board member.”
Shelton and the board are already working on those new ideas.
For the first time the foundation has recruited liaisons to work
between the fundraising nonprofit and the individual campuses,
providing a direct link between the two entities. These liaisons
will attend foundation meetings each month.
“We’ll have more insight at where our money is going, how it’s
received and what the schools need,” said Shelton. “It’s a good
motivator. With the liaisons, we can hear a little bit more on the
grant requests we receive and the needs the schools are
experiencing. It’s very exciting.”
Liaisons include mostly parents, including Viki Stockette from
Mattie Washburn Elementary School, Melissa Penry from Windsor Creek
Elementary School and Brooks Elementary School, and Rebecca Burke
from Cali Calmécac Language Academy. Windsor High School is
represented by campus vice-principal Chris Vetrano, and the
foundation is still looking for a liaison for Windsor Middle
School.
Back for the 2010-2011 is the Christmas Tree Lot fundraiser and
the Swing Into Summer golf tournament—the foundation’s biggest
annual moneymakers. Now Shelton would like to help add to the
succesful of these events by applying for grants outside of the
Windsor community.
“I would love to see someone with grant writing experience come
forward and write grants for us and get money in a new way,” she
said. “Someone to help us without tapping into the community. We
don’t have that skill set on our board. The grant writer wouldn’t
have to be part of the board.”
The foundation is also looking for a Web designer to help
improve the website and a representative who will represent the
nonprofit to corporate sponsors within the community. “We’re
looking for volunteers,” said Shelton. “We’re trying to reorganize
to become more effective.”
While Shelton is looking to make a few changes to help the
fundraising effort, she isn’t unhappy with the board’s prior work.
In fact, quite the opposite. Shelton lauded Rebich for the former
president’s two years of service in the position—a job Shelton said
Rebich devoted long hours and effort. “Karlene has done such a
tremendous job,” she said. “She has devoted so much of her life to
the WE Foundation.”
Along with Shelton as president, the foundation announced its
seven-member board: Liz Kiernan will serve as vice-president, Dawn
McFarland as secretary, Andrew Burtons as treasurer, and Tim
Oxford, Ken Flynn and Rebich will serve as board members.
For more information go online to www.windsorwe.org.