School Closure Process Hurts Linda Vista’s Fundraising

When Linda Sperling learned in May that Saddleback Valley Unified School District was not closing Linda Vista Elementary this year, first she sighed with relief.

Then she got to work.

Sperling is in charge of getting donations for the Linda Vista PTA’s silent auction, the school’s major fundraiser to support vital programs, including a campus librarian and health aide. Although she had already contacted more than 300 possible donors, she estimates that 45 percent of them put her off because they knew Linda Vista was being considered for closure, she said.

“So one day after we heard, I sent out a new batch of letters,” Sperling said. “Our big thing is trying to get the word out.”

Members of Linda Vista’s PTA say the school closure process definitely impacted their fundraising this spring. The community first learned in March that the school might close.

The district’s school closure process ended May 10 when the school board voted to designate Linda Vista as a “surplus” property that could be closed and leased sometime in the future. But the district opted to close another school, Aliso Elementary in Lake Forest, at the end of June, while keeping Linda Vista open for now.

“We’re relieved in the fact we can move on,” said PTA President Carla Taylor. “It finally got us out of that limbo.”

That school closure “limbo” did impact their fundraising, PTA members say. The school’s jog-a-thon, which was prior to the school board’s decision, netted $1,500 less this spring than last year, Taylor said.

“We totally stalled. Everything stalled because it was highly publicized we were closing,” said Bruce Wood, the PTA’s vice president of fundraising. “Donors say, ‘Your school’s going to close. Why are you raising money?’ We had parents in the jog-a-thon say, ‘Why should I sponsor my kid?’ We had parents who thought we should cancel the whole thing.”

But parents are hopeful that they can make up much of that lost ground on Saturday, June 4, with a car show, silent auction and sock hop. They said they hope to raise at least $7,000 with the events.

The car show, which will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Linda Vista’s parking lot, will feature everything from Ferraris and hot rods to a 1919 open-wheeled Ford Roadster, Wood said. Drivers will receive a photo, free pancake breakfast and entry into a drive-only raffle.

The silent auction will run from 3 to 6:30 p.m., featuring items such as gift certificates to local summer camps and sports lessons. All-day activities include live music, food, raffles and trophies.

The Linda Vista PTA is also still asking the public for help with the events. Anyone interested in donating an auction item or serving as a vendor can contact Linda Sperling at sperlfam@cox.net. There is also still room for cars in the car show. For information, call 949-830-0970.