Ideas Shining Brightly!

On this beautiful Friday afternoon in Austin, it's hard to focus on work!  Across the street from my office there are high school students, including my son,  taking notes, taking tests, and turning thoughts into bright ideas.  You did that!  What a great gift for the holidays, and for everyday.  So many tools and resources are right at their finger tips.  From 3D printers to musical instruments, your donations are funding bright ideas as I type.  Before you head to sit in the pickup line today, or while you are getting an early start on wrapping (wishful thinking I know), give the gift of education by just clicking right here.  $10, $100, heck just keep adding zeros...we'll take it!  Imagine all the bright ideas you will be building for years to come!

Lake Travis Wins!

When you donate to LTEF all of our kids at LTISD win!  It's game day...watch out Westlake here come the Cavs!  The Reserve at Lake Travis helped to build LOTS of dreams by making our annual giving campaign possible.  Join them right now and together we can build many, many more! 

 Click here to donate today and put a W in the column for all of our kids!

The Giving is Electric!

If you are reading this then you have power.  Power to build a bright idea in our LTISD students!  Pedernales Electric just did...with an electric $1,000 donation.  What kind of ideas did they just build?  Maybe money calculators to help our special education students learn how to count their pocket change.  Maybe an EV3 Robotics kit so an elementary student can learn how to write code.  Pretty amazing stuff.  Thank you Pedernales Electric - have you built your bright idea yet?  Click here to do it right now!

Bright Ideas Are Building!

Thanks to everyone who has already contributed to build some bright ideas this week!  Shout out to Josh Barouh with Liberty Mutual for making a $500 donation!  What bright ideas could that build?  His contribution could purchase a chromebook and a band instrument for a student.  Want to join Josh and build an idea?  Click here to donate right now!

Build a Bright Idea Right Now!

School is well underway this year and students in Lake Travis ISD are getting to use amazing new tools that donations to LTEF made possible.  Like a 3D printer, new musical instruments, 181 brand new Chromebooks and 73 iPads.  $225,000 made a big impact on our 9 campuses this year.  Imagine all the bright ideas that these new tools are building right this minute!  Let's help them build some more.

 Today begins our annual Giving Campaign and from today through November 11th we want you to join us as we work to raise even more for our kids.  You can donate lots of ways - online, on your phone, even mailing it in.  Whatever works best for you.  You are changing lives for years to come, so we want to make easy!  Not sure you are really making a difference?  You don't have to take my word for it, check out the video and let Kembree tell you!

If you are having trouble seeing the video, click here to watch it on YouTube!  

LTISD Teachers Give BIG!!

No matter what campus you dropped your child off to this morning, no doubt you were challenged by traffic, new drivers, and the stress of the first day of a new school year.  No matter how drop off went, I can be sure that one of the first things you will ask when they get home shortly is, "do you like your teacher(s)"?  I hope the great majority of you will get an enthusiastic "YES!".  Teachers and staff at LTISD have been working incredibly hard to get ready for our kids this year.  Each one is ready to make a big difference in the life of not only your child, but dozens of others this year.  In fact, they already have!

The LTEF / LTISD Employee Giving Campaign just wrapped up and over 55% of LTISD employees became friends of the Foundation pledging over $27,600 in one time gifts and monthly pledges for 2015-2016!

These amazing teachers and staff are giving to all of our kids in every way possible!  Be sure to thank them next time you see one wearing our blue lanyard, or sporting a butterfly sticker on their door. They are building bright ideas - join them by clicking here!

Back to School Golfing??

The big box stores are all stocked and ready for kids and parents to descend upon them with lists of "must-haves" for the new school year.  I don't know about you, but as a young child this was my favorite time of year - a new pair of shoes, a new pencil box and a cool new backpack that I was just sure would propel me to super awesome social status.  As a parent it might be the polar opposite - a giant dent in the monthly budget and a fight in the store over whether or not he really needs the name brand glue stick and why does he need eight of them anyway, is enough to make us dread this trip.  I have a solution.  Just go shopping online, have them all delivered to your door and instead take the time and energy spent discerning the difference between highlighter colors and register Fore the Kids golf tournament!  Ok, admittedly that might be a stretch, but I'm just saying that you can support your child, and her classmates, by playing golf.   And that's arguably more relaxing than a trip to Target to sit and wait for her to pick out the coolest spiral notebook with the best cats on the front.  Better yet, do both.  Totally in for Parent of the Year.  It will make up for that time you forgot to pick him up from school.  Oh wait, that was me.  But you know what I mean.  So tell her to get her shoes on and while you wait for her to finish texting her friends to find out what backpack she has to have, sign up for a great day of golf that supports her school.  Here's the link - do it now and we'll see you on November 11th.  By then most of the bruises on the back of your heels where he ran into you with the cart should have healed.  Happy shopping!

Seeing Green

Summer is in full swing and I can say with confidence that you are either enjoying beautiful lush green grass or heavenly sand at some point.  Before we know it the summer will fade to fall and we will be longing for those days.  A little advance planning can help!  Sign up today for our annual Fore the Kids golf tournament and we can guarantee you will be seeing great green grass and, sorry to say it, sand, on November 11th!

Mark your calendar right now - take a half day off work on Wednesday, join us for lunch and a shotgun noon start.  All proceeds, meaning all of that green, goes right back into our schools to help keep the programs and projects our kids need in place.  Don't wait because this event is a sell-out for sure!

Here's the link.... don't miss out on your chance to re-live summer in November!

Register Today!

Seeing Green!

All of this amazing rain means two things for the Lake Travis community. First the lake is filling up.  As of today it's over 630 feet full!  Only 50 more feet to go.  Second, it means that the greens on the golf courses around town are actually green!  Ready to try them out and make some more green for the kids of LTISD?  Here's your chance!

ClubCorp, the owner and operator of the Hills Country Club, is gearing up for thier annual ClubCorp Charity Classic.  Slated for June 10th at Flintrock Falls - This charity event will include a Golf Tournament on Wednesday followed by dinner and a silent Auction. 100% of the proceeds from this event will be divided among the three charities, which are the Lake Travis Education Foundation, Augie's Quest to Cure ALS and the ClubCorp Employee Partners Care Foundation. To sign up and participate in the event go to http://www.clubcorpcharityclassic.com and click on our event.

Talk about a hole in one.  Thank you ClubCorp and The Hills for helping our kids, supporting LTEF and being a great partner in education.  Thanks also to Rough Hollow Lakeway, a long time LTEF partner and the Presenting Partner of this years tournament.

Grab your clubs, bring your appetitite, and get ready to celebrate all things green!

Feeling Fashionable?

When fashion meets fundraising amazing things happen!  You should see Christi Craven's workroom.  Models are in and out, clothes and sketches and fabric all prepped and ready.  It's truly a sight to see!  And why?  She's giving back by giving the Lake Travis Education Foundation and the LTISD family it's own fashion line.  Talk about a gift!  Don't miss your chance to own one-of-a-kind designs.  There is nothing off-the-rack about these beautiful pieces.  Here's a sneak peak!

Join us as we celebrate spring, fashion, and most of all, raise money to support our kids education in Lake Travis public schools.  Buy your ticket now before they are all gone!  Deadline is Monday April 20th!  Click here to buy them now or just call me 512-533-5968!

Teachers Rock!

We all have the one teacher who made all the difference.  She made learning fun.  He finally figured out how to explain the difference between refraction and reflection so you understood it.  Chances are right now there is an LTISD teacher making a difference in your childs' life.  Here's your opportunity to send them a note to say YOU ROCK!  Or you can say thank you.  Or you are amazing.  Whatever you say, you know it will be appreciated.

The Lake Travis Education Foundation wants to say You Are Awesome also.  So we are going to give each of our teachers a supercool tumbler - check it out below - with notes from you in it!  May 4th is the beginning of Teacher Appreciation Week and we want to start it off right.  All you have to do is donate $15 per teacher and voila!  You have put a smile on their face with you awesome message, and your donations go right back to the schools.  It's a no-brainer.  Easy A.  Sorry, I couldn't resist!

Teacher Appreciation - May 4th

I want to send a message!

Fashion Meets Fundraising

It's almost official - Spring is around the corner!  By next Monday we will be able to show off our white shoes again.  It's about time.  While the shoes may serve as an outfits' inspiration, the right outfit can be a great reason to buy some new ones.  And lucky for you - we are getting ready to show you a reason!

The Butterfly Brunch, presented by Lexus of Austin & Lexus of Lakeway, is coming on April 23rd to Antebellum Oaks in Lakeway.  Fashion designer, Lakeway resident and parent of two LTISD students Christi Craven has been sewing all winter and is just about ready to send 15 fantastic looks down the Spa at the Lake runway.  This event isn't just to look - you'll be able to own these one-of-a-kind and limited designs.

Start the morning with cocktails under the oaks provided by Deep Eddy Vodka, then dine on eggs Benedict, omelets and more from Cafe Blue.  See the models walk the runway, purchase one of only a few custom bracelets made just for the event, bid on the couture looks and walk away with a serious bag full of awesome swag.

Thank you to our partners Lexus of Austin & Lexus of Lakeway, Spa at the Lake, Buckingham Center for Facial Plastic Surgery and Lonestar Pediatric Dental for helping to make this a great event.  All of the proceeds go to fund projects and programs in LTISD schools.

Think of it - fashion meets fundraising right in your own backyard.  Sweet smell of spring!

Click here to buy your ticket now before they are all gone!

Post Gala Pictures!

Everyone wants to see!  Have you visted our Facebook page to see the photos from the 2015 Bowties and Butterflies Gala?  Well you might be the only one.  Check them out right here:  www.facebook.com/ltef1

Loved the video during the program?  We did too!  See it again right now:

Thanks to everyone who came and made a difference!

Bali is Back on the Auction Block

 Our Gala might be over, but the bidding isn't!  While we finish tallying the totals, you have one more chance at an amazing Live Auction item.  Our trip to Bali is back on the auction block and it can be yours.  Just click right here and you may be finding paradise sooner than you think.

Looking for photos from the night?  You can find them on our Facebook page here.

Thank you for the amazing support and we will be announcing our total soon!

Gala Time!

It's hard to believe that March is here already....but more than that - it's time for Gala!  LTEF's largest fundraiser of the year is finally here.  We are putting the final touches on everything so we will be ready - are you?  We sure hope so!  Even if you are not joining us at the event tomorrow you can still be a part of it.  Join us in the silent auction right now!  Just click here and start bidding right now.

A big thanks to Rough Hollow for being the Presenting Partner for the past 10 years.  To Lexus of Austin and Lexus of Lakeway for being our Entertainment Partner.  The Villarreal family are our Platinum Partners.  We have some amazing partners at the Gold Level as well:  Capitol Chevy, Pioneer Bank, The Reserve, St. David's Healthcare, Jay Reese Contractors, Southern Star Bank, BCBS and Plfugger Architects.  We couldn't have done it without you all.  Thank you!

Be sure to check out the coolest raffle package ever too!  David Sheehan helped us out putting together the Heart of Texas BBQ package that includes a Big Green Egg and 12 $50 gift certificates to 12 different central Texas legendary barbecue restaurants!

Got questions?  See a Live Auction item you want but can't be there?  We can help!  Please give us a call 512-533-5968 or email us stones@ltisdschools.org.

Time and Ties are Flying!

My big heavy winter coat is looking a bit sad these days.  Thank goodness!!  But wait...is it possible that we are already at Valentines Day?  How did that happen?  Just a few days ago I couldn't feel my fingers as I took my life in my hands walking the grocery cart to my truck through the HEB parking lot.  This warming trend can only mean one thing and I'm not talking about global warming.  No I'm talking about the annual LTEF Gala made possible by Rough Hollow!

March 7th is the big day - 25 days away in case you are counting (which I am).  There is no time to waste!  The tables are filling and we want you there.  Join us for an amazing night of fun, music and most importantly, fundraising.  Want the highlights?  Lexus of Austin has made the entertaimnet possible....Here you go:

Rick Trevino is playing during dinner 

Over 200 silent auction items 

Live Auction packages you won't find anywhere else 

A surprise or two :)

The Matt Wilson Band will wow you on the dance floor

Don't miss it!  You don't want to be the person at the office or the gym on Monday who doesn't know what everyone is talking about.  That's the worst.  No, you want to be the person in the know, who was at the event of the year, who gave generously to our public schools and made a difference in the lives of our children's education.  Not the one who didn't.  Definitely don't want to be that person.

Here's the link www.lfefevents.org  Click it and make an impact on a child's life right now.  Time is flying.