Princeton Regional Scholarship Foundation plans big gala

Dance and silent auction slated for Jan. 27

By: Jake Uitti
   Invitations for the Princeton Regional Scholarship Foundation’s Get Up and Dance and Silent Auction event will be sent out during the first week of January with the hope of attracting a large gathering for a fun evening to raise money for Princeton High School graduates to study in colleges and universities.
   The Princeton Regional Scholarship Foundation is a nonprofit organization with its roots dating back to 1970. The group was started by a handful of guidance counselors and parents to assist graduates from Princeton High School to go on to college. The organization provides scholarships to students who could not otherwise afford college tuition.
   The foundation offers the money based on need.
   "The difference about us is that we’re so wide-ranging," said Co-president Sandy Tait. "We give scholarships to people going to, say, Columbia University, or someone going to Mercer County Community College."
   About five years ago, the foundation began following up on students it had given scholarships to for their freshman years. Over the last handful of years, the foundation has been continuing to fund education for the sophomore, junior and senior years.
   The foundation presently helps between 80 and 100 students per year.
   But the money does not come easily, thus requiring the scheduling of events.
   At 8 p.m. Jan. 27 the foundation’s Get Up and Dance and Silent Auction Benefit will be held at the Cap and Gown Club, 61 Prospect Ave.
   Some of the items up for bid are a signed guitar by Hall & Oates, four tickets to a Blues Traveler concert, a harmonica that belonged to Blues Traveler singer John Popper, a tour of the Princeton University Art Museum and lunch with art director Susan Taylor, a round of golf at Springdale Golf Course and many other items.
   The event is $75, and will include beer and wine, dessert, hors d’oeuvres and dancing.
   This is the second year in a row the foundation will hold such an event. Last year, it managed to raise over $30,000.
   The foundation also raises money from private donations.
   "That’s getting harder and harder for us to survive on," said Co-president Carol Golden.
   Despite the difficulty of continually having to raise money, Ms. Golden said the foundation has been able to expand over the last 10 years.
   "Ten years ago we gave under $30,000 per year, now we give out over $100,000," she said, noting that some of the money is also funded by grants. "We really need to find other sources of income."
   To go along with the silent auction, there will also be a raffle, as well as music from DJ Bob from Sound Tracks.
   "He’s going to play a lot of fun dance music that spans decades so everybody can have fun," said Ms. Tait.
   Both Ms. Tait and Ms. Golden said the foundation’s biggest goal is trying to raise enough money to cover the enormous need in the community for students to continue their education in college.
   "Princeton is an affluent community, but it costs a lot of money to go to college," Ms. Golden said. "There is a terrific need."
   She noted that the foundation only gives money to students who have no other means for financing school.
   "We fund kids after they’ve exhausted all other means of financial aid, loans and grants," she said, adding that the foundation gives between $500 and $4,000 per student.
   For more information or to receive an invitation to the January event, e-mail [email protected].