When employees at Les Cheneaux Community Schools in Cedarville learned 13 coworkers were given 60 days notice they may be laid off, they took action.

Faculty and citizens formed a group to raise funds to address the district's revenue deficit. Save Our School (SOS) is finding ways to "Fund the Future" by organizing events to raise money and awareness of the school's budget problems.

"It's really a collective effort between the Community Foundation, key individuals, and the staff," said Principal Amy Scott.

The Les Cheneaux Education Foundation has agreed to act as the fiscal agent for the fundraising efforts and has opened a credit union account to manage the money raised.

The first in a series of fundraisers scheduled in the Fund the Future campaign is an indoor picnic Thursday, December 11, in the school cafeteria. The picnic will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. before the boys basketball game against the Pickford Panthers. Hot dogs, pasta salads, potato chips, and lemonade will be served for $6 for older students and adults, $3 for children 10 and younger. Donations will also be accepted in the form of volunteer time, food, and money.

Similar fundraising meals are scheduled before the girls basketball games Friday, January 9, against the Brimley Bays, and Saturday, January 11, against the Harbor Springs Rams.

"Once we found out our budget situation here at the school, the teachers and staff got together to try to think of some ideas to raise some money," SOS organizer Jill McLeod told The St. Ignace News.

Other events in the works include a 12-hour "Band-a-thon." More than 50 current and alumni band members are expected to play from 7 p.m. Friday, January 2, to 7 a.m. Saturday, January 3. Cedarville students will begin collecting pledges for the overnight concert soon.

An upscale Valentine's Day gala dinner is also being organized, Ms. Scott said. Karl's Cuisine Cafe and Catering of Sault Ste. Marie is slated to cater the event to be held at the Clark Township Community Center on M-134. Space will be limited to about 180 people. The remainder of the details are still being finalized, Ms. Scott said.

A "New Years Eve Overnight" for kindergarten through sixth grade students is being planned. Parents will be able to leave their children with responsible chaperones overnight at the school while they ring in the new year.

Activities scheduled for the children include a scavenger hunt and midnight sledding. The cost, yet to be finalized, will be about $20 to $30 per child.

Funds raised at all events will contributed toward a $120,000 budget deficit announced late last month.

For more information about any of the fundraising events, contact Brianna Freel at U.P. State Credit Union at 484-3099, Jill McLeod at 484-5525, Lisa Dunn at 484-6807, or Les Cheneaux Community Schools at 484-2256.