1991

10/1991 Phil Mackey, Lambertville resident and local education foundation expert for the New Jersey School Boards Association makes a presentation on local education foundations at the NJSBA annual convention in Atlantic City. Dave Moraski, Lambertville resident and member of the Lambertville Public School Board of Education is in attendance and is inspired by what Phil says about the power of community members to make a positive impact on their public schools. After the meeting, Dave approaches Phil and asks him to help establish such an organization in Lambertville. Phil is more than willing. He eventually becomes one of the charter members of the LEF and remains to this day an active board member of the LAEF.

11/1991 The first meeting of the Lambertville Local Education Foundation Steering Committee. Charlie Huchet, Gail Richardson, Mike Matturro, Terri Marriott, Dave Moraski & Phil Mackey convened a meeting to formally discuss what would be involved in creating a local education foundation. Ideas for grants to offer, ways to raise funds and how to incorporate as a non-profit were among the topics discussed. They would meet every few weeks in the coming months to create a mission statement, draft bylaws, and consider names and other matters, setting the stage for officially creating a yet to be named local education foundation.

1992

2/1992 First official meeting of the Lambertville Education Foundation (LEF). Charter officers elected are: Gail Richardson, President; Mike Matturro, Vice President; Ed Berchtold, Treasurer; Chris Monigan, Secretary. Charter board members are: Denise Brown Kahney, Charles Huchet, Terri Marriott & Phil Mackey,

4/1992 LEF’s first fund-raising event consisted of selling bookmarks made by LPS students, spring water and apples at Shad Fest and netted $116.65. From small things big things one day come.

9/1992 First financial grant given to LPS: $600.00 for a Music Technology Grant.

12/1992 LEF is granted permanent 501 (c) 3 non-profit status by the IRS.

12/1992 First in-kind grant given to LPS: The Resource Guide was a booklet listing many talented individuals from the community who were willing to offer their expertise or special skills for use by classroom teachers. This collection of artists, poets, musicians, scientists, computer whizzes, animal experts, and historians was offered to the teachers so that they may tap them for a class discussion or demonstration to supplement curriculum material.

1993

2/1993 First major fund raiser “Romance on the River” held at The Inn at Lambertville Station nets $2,500.00.

1995

1/1995 Ed Berchtold is elected president.

1996

6/1996 LEF authorized the largest grant to date. In an effort to transform the antiquated LPS library into a state-of-the-art multimedia center, $6,899.00 was given to supplement a significant Board of Education contribution.

1999

2/1999 Bob Dahl elected president.

2000

9/2000 LEF procured its first grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. The $3,000.00 was used toward the purchase of the rock wall in the multi-purpose room at LPS.

2001

12/2001 LEF created an ad hoc committee to study the feasibility of expanding the foundation’s mission to include SHRHS.

2002

4/2002 Jim Mastrich is elected president.

6/2002 First large-scale auction fund-raising event held at the Rago Gallery, honoring Jim Hamilton netted $17,052.18.

9/2002 LEF board approved expansion of LEF mission to include serving South Hunterdon Regional High School (SHRHS).

11/2002 First annual Friends of LEF fund raising mailing netted $1,500.00.

2003

3/2003 Second annual auction fund raising event held at Eagle Fire Company, honoring Fred Lewis.

6/2003 Name changed. In an effort to convey to the larger sending district a sense of inclusiveness, while maintaining its name recognition, the board unanimously decided to change the name of the Foundation from Lambertville Education Foundation (LEF) to Lambertville Area Education Foundation (LAEF).

11/2003 LAEF board authorized the largest grant ever given to LPS, $14,000.00 for a portable wireless publishing and research computer lab.

2004

3/2004 Third annual auction fund-raising event held at Eagle Fire Company, honoring Phil Pittore.

5/2004 LAEF awards its first grant as part of its affiliation with the Central New Jersey Education Foundation Partnership. Twenty students from SHRHS attend a seminar on international relations at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs.

5/2004 LAEF creates a subcommittee of its Program Committee, the Transition Committee, to focus specifically on enriching the educational experience and creating a greater sense of continuity between the elementary 6th grade and middle school 7th & 8th grades.

6/2004 LAEF board approved expansion of LAEF mission to include serving West Amwell Township Elementary School (WAS).

6/2004 LAEF authorizes the largest grant to date given to any school served, $15,000.00 for a much needed Mobile Computer Lab with 20 portable computers for use in desktop publishing and research at SHRHS.

10/2004 First annual wine tasting fund-raising event held at Lambertville Rescue Squad netted $2,660.00.

2005

3/2005 Fourth annual auction fund-raising event held at Eagle Fire Company netted the most ever for a single event: $34,200.00.

5/2005 First major financial grant given to WAS. LAEF authorized $13,000.00 to supplement an equal contribution from the Board of Education towards the purchase of 25 Dell portable computers.

10/2005 Second Annual Wine Tasting.

2006

1/2006 LAEF web site goes online.

3/2006 Fifth annual auction fund-raising event held at Eagle Fire Company honors Marty Luther.

4/2006 LAEF board approved expansion of LAEF mission to include serving Stockton Borough School (SBS).

4/2006 Intial publication of the LAEF Enewsletter as a means of informing the Friends of the LAEF and the community at large about grants issued and other activities.

9/2006 First financial grant given to SBS. LAEF authorized $942.00 for a school-wide Artist in Residence Program.

11/2006 Third Annual Wine Tasting.