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Education group gearing up for annual event

By Mary Ellen Zangara Special Writer
   MANVILLE — For the past few weeks, a group of volunteers has been gathering on Tuesday and Thursday nights in the Manville High School library filling and wrapping gift baskets, in preparation for the Nov. 14 “Reach for the Stars” fifth annual basket auction sponsored by the Manville Education Foundation.
   The nearly 300 baskets assembled from donations collected by MEF members from area businesses and residents include baskets of baby items, housewares, baking, coffee and specialty items, gift cards and tickets to different events. Proceeds from the basket sales will be used to support the MEF’s grants to students and teachers, as well as scholarships the group awards to MHS graduates.
   ”Manville Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhance the education of the children of Manville,” President Barbara Snyder said. “We give out grants two or three times a year and the scholarships are at the end of the year.”
   Which is why so much effort is put on gathering the donations — and gathering volunteers to help.
   ”We have had more help than we have ever had in the past years and I am grateful for that,” Deb Knitowski, chairwoman of the auction committee, said.
   The MEF is accepting donations for the auction, as well as monetary donations, until the end of October. To donate an item or service for the auction, call Ms. Knitowski at 908-575-9610 or Mary Ellen Zangara at 908-526-5568; or stop by the MHS library on Tuesday and Thursday nights after 6:45 p.m.
   ”It has been a success thanks to the support that we have received from people in the community, parents, teachers and businesses,” Ms. Snyder said. “We look forward to it being a success again.”
   The doors open at 6 p.m. Nov. 14 for the viewing the items, and the auction will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2290 on Washington Avenue. The event includes free refreshments, door prizes, goodie bags and a 50/50 drawing.
   Tickets are $15 each on a first-come, first-served basis and will not be sold at the door. No one under the age of 18 will be admitted.
   To purchase tickets, call the numbers listed above, or stop by the MHS library on Tuesdays or Thursdays when the volunteers are assembling baskets.