One of the challenges in Woodrow Wilson High School becoming an International Baccalaureate school is the application fee — about $15,000 to $17,000 the first year, and $10,000 to $15,000 each year afterward, says neighbor Richard Vitale, who is heading up a new foundation, the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation, whose purpose is to support the Woodrow IB program now and into the future.
Luckily, a neighbor stepped up with an idea to raise the money for the first year and beyond. Meredith Manak, a Lakewood Elementary School parent who was heavily involved in the Lakewood home tour, had considered raffling off a Smart Car from the Park Place car dealership as part of the home tour festivities, but ran out of time to make it happen. So when she talked to Woodrow principal Ruth Vail about the money needed for the IB application fee, Manak decided to try again.
Manak bought the roughly $19,000 smart fortwo cabriolet in bright red (Woodrow’s color, of course). It’s been making the rounds at Woodrow’s feeder schools, so you may have seen it in a neighborhood parking lot.
Learn about the raffle and how to buy tickets after the jump:
Manak signed the smart fortwo title over to the nonprofit Woodrow Wilson Alumni Association because the Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation is still waiting on its 501c3 status. Six-hundred raffle tickets are being sold for $100 each, and the car will be raffled off at the school’s 80th anniversary celebration "Battle of the Bands" event at Eddie Deen’s Ranch on Saturday, April 25 — winner need not be present to win. The tag, title and license is already paid for, so the winner will need to pay only $35 for the title transfer fee, and can drive the car home from the event.
All proceeds from raffle ticket sales will benefit the Woodrow IB program; the alumni association will transfer the money to the community foundation once it achieves 501c3 status, and also will reimburse Manak for the cost of the car once the raffle is over. To buy tickets, contact Manak at either 214.478.8802 or mmanak@raveaffaires.com, or head to Lakewood Elementary after school from 2:45-3:15 p.m. where Manak and her daughter also are selling tickets.
