2019 Fall WINE WALK
A Major Funding Event for ...
By Kristine Yoshida
Big Bear Valley Education Trust Mission- To create interactive and
engaging educational opportunities to foster environmental stewardship and
lifelong learning for students, community members, and visitors, using the
unique resources of Big Bear Valley.
OUR VISION
Protect – Engage – Enjoy – Learn
The Big Bear Valley Education
Corporation (Ed Trust) was founded in 2009 by community members who wanted to support and strengthen educational
opportunities across the Valley. During the recession, the community
college classes offered at the High School were on the verge of being lost. In
addition, Big Bear Valley’s younger residents in Pre-K through 12 were hit
with budget cuts, increases in classroom sizes and a reduction in
teachers. With devastating cuts to funding and services unheard of since
the Great Depression, it became obvious outside help was needed. With this
in mind, the Big Bear Valley Education Corporation formed in 2009 to redefine
our Community’s efforts in supporting Valley-wide educational opportunities for
all residents.
The current Board has diverse backgrounds, each bringing unique
perspectives to the organization:
Officers are Liz Harris, founder and past Chairman, Linda
Ricchiuti, Chairman, Linda
Keller-Bulman, Co-Chair and Secretary, Kristine Yoshida, Treasurer
and Wine Walk Volunteer Coordinator.
Board Members are Connie Friel, Fundraising Chair, Scott
Eliason, member of the Pebble Plain committee, Tom Hunter, the
Trusted Volunteer coordinator, Bennett Rossell, and Nancy Gonzalez,
parent liaison.
With the generous donations of time, money and
effort from members of Big Bear Valley, the Ed Trust has successfully
implemented several major programs that directly impact students and
teachers in the classroom. All of our programs make a unique community
connection with community members, city agencies, and local businesses.
Ed
Trust Signature Programs:
Bear Tech is an
alternative educational program whose concept includes science classrooms
rooted in nature, place-based curriculum, and a collaborative teaching and
learning environment. One of its goals is to get students out of the class room
and into the environment where they will study and learn. This
program is designed to create in young people an understanding of Bear
Valley’s unique environment; get them outside enjoying this environment and create
a generation of young people who will become stewards of all nature.
The Real World Project is
designed to broaden the career perspectives of Juniors and Seniors at Big Bear
High. The program brings professionals into the classroom, where students hear
the unembellished stories of how these individuals came to make their
career choices. These experiences are meant to introduce students to the
different career paths beyond academia.
Trusted Volunteer Program
focuses on recruiting volunteers from outside of the educational
community, such as retired community members and other individuals that
may not have a child in the school system. Volunteers can be found at all
schools and grade levels to assist both teachers and students to enhance the
learning experience.
Pebble
Plain Ecological Reserve The Education Trust is providing leadership
in the establishment of a Pebble Plain Ecological Reserve in Moonridge.
They continue to protect this reserve through collaboration with the members of
the Pebble Plain Committee. This collaboration allows educating about the
unique environmental occurrence called the Pebble Plain Ecosystem. This
geologic formation only occurs in Big Bear and Holcomb Valley and nowhere else
in the world.
Because of your help in June, the the VBA donated
over $3500 to the Ed Trust!
This
grant helps fund our place-based, community driven educational and
environmental programs for our Valley's youth.
To
find out more about our programs, go to www.bearvalleyedtrust.org
The BIG BEAR VALLEY ED TRUST would
love your help
Saturday SEPTEMBER 14th!
Dr. Kristine
Yoshida
“Volunteering is an act of heroism on a grand scale. And it
matters profoundly.
It does more than help people beat the odds; it changes the
odds.”
The relatively small board is
not only all volunteers, but have full-time careers and responsibilities. This
fact makes it difficult to adequately raise funds for our ongoing programs.
Major funding comes on a regular basis by the Ed Trust providing the volunteer
team for the Village Business Association’s
Wine Walk in Summer and Fall. In exchange for volunteers for registration,
store hosting, and security, Ed Trust receives a percentage of the proceeds
from the Village Business Association Wine Walk events.
The VBA Fall Wine Walk, Saturday, September 14th
is a creative social event that combines shopping with food and wine tasting,
as attendees walk from merchant to merchant. The VBA Wine Walk is a growing
social and economically stimulating event, which showcases the Village of Big
Bear Lake, as a shopping destination to visitors and locals alike.
BE A STORE HOST Saturday from 3:30 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at
one of the 22 amazing Village shops, socialize, pour wine, and help make sure guests
don’t leave the store with alcohol in their glass still.
WE ARE IN NEED OF 12 HOSTS!
BE A REGISTRATION HOST from 2:00 P.M. until 5:30 P.M. Use a
mobile app to check in the guests. WE
ARE IN NEED OF 3-4 REGISTRATION HOSTS!