March Mingle nets $42,000 for Communities In Schools of the Tecumseh Area

Communities in Schools of the Tecumseh Area (CISTA) raised approximately $42,000 during the March Mingle fundraiser, which was held on March 12. There were approximately 280 attendees, with profits from silent and live auctions totaling over $11,500.

The item that brought in the most funds was free braces from Hinesly Orthodontics, which totaled $3,000. A five-course meal for eight from 3 Dudes and Dinner was another big ticket item which sold for $850. 

The majority of funds came from sponsors, CISTA executive director Heather Perez said. Old National Bank was the event’s biggest sponsor with a $4,000 sponsorship. First Federal Bank, Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh, Martin and Carol Boot, Tecumseh Big Boy, and Tom and Jeanette Meyer all sponsored March Mingle with a $1,000 donation.

“It was a great event. The community really came out in support of Tecumseh students and CISTA,” Perez said.

A big attraction to the event was the luau theme, Perez said, complete with beach decorations and Hawaiian music. “We had a lot of people who dressed up, and we want to give a special thanks to DJ Tim Brown for creating a great ambiance,” Perez said.

Local restaurants catered the event, including Evans Street Station, Basil Boys, Tecumseh Big Boy, The Dog House, Busch’s and various others.

“I can’t say enough about the food and how spectacular everyone’s dinner was,” Perez said. “We’re hearing rave reviews from our attendees, and this year we’re blown away by the support we receive from these restaurants.”

CISTA will now begin preparing for its needs assessment process for the 2016-17 school year, which helps decide what programs to bring into the district.

“We’re working with the school to discover what they need and providing academic support for students,” Perez said. “We’re helping those students through the school year, as well as continuing to implement our Family Nights and the Ruling Our Experiences Program.”

CISTA is a drop-out prevention program based in Tecumseh, providing mentoring and resources for community students. CISTA’s programs include post-secondary and career development initiatives to improve school climate, integrated service support, and addresses underlying reasons why students drop out. CISTA coordinates 1,500 volunteers every year within the Tecumseh Public School district, providing 4,500 hours of service.