Sporting their casual whites and comfortable shoes, supporters of the Education Foundation of Indian River County engaged in a friendly game of croquet in the spirit of helping achieve excellence for students and educators. Sponsored by John’s Island, the third annual Wine and Wickets event was held on the John’s Island West Course Croquet Lawn.

What’s with the wickets? “Wickets is a thinking sport,” explained Cynthia Falardeau, executive director of the Education Foundation of IRC. “We try to stay true to our mission and find an event or activity that relates to that. Plus, everyone can play wickets. We’ve got people who never played and people who play on leagues. It really doesn’t matter who wins. It’s just fun!”

“Our smaller events give us a chance to socialize with our supporters” said Cathy Filusch, president of the board of the Education Foundation of IRC. “We expect about 35 players this afternoon. It’s a special time when our supporters enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded individuals with a common goal. Through the generous donations of our benefactors we open doors to education and fund programs that are not being paid by the state or government.

“Just today we went to a second-grade class to view the benefits of one of the innovative programs we funded last year,” she continued.

“Google Expeditions enables children to travel around the globe through virtual reality technology. As soon as the student put on his goggles he was immersed into a virtual rainforest. Teachers controlled the experience and tracked each individual child with their iPads. Advance lessons gave the children an amazing knowledge of the vocabulary and geography of the terrain. They were so engrossed in looking for animals in their natural habitat that they didn’t want to break for snacks or recess!”

Last year the Education Foundation awarded over $1.3 million to local schools and educators. Funds were raised through number of small events like Wine and Wickets, a highly successful science fair and a large fall fundraiser. Eighty-eight cents of each and every dollar donated to the Education Foundation goes directly back into the community, with only 12 percent going toward administrative fees. Grants are awarded yearly to educators with special classroom projects and goals. Funds are also secured for professional development, innovative programs and ongoing services like the Happy Feet program that allows needy children to pick out a brand-new pair of sneakers.

Article by: Kerry Firth, Correspondent