ELLSWORTH – Ellsworth Community School District Foundation’s annual Taste of Tuscany fundraiser, set for May 31, has debuted new mobile bidding for its silent auction. Attendees can also expect the traditions of great wine, delicious food, live music by Colleen Raye and more at Vino in the Valley.

Now in its 12^th year, this annual fundraiser helps ECSDF to bridge the education funding gap local schools face. Tax dollars provide for the basics, while ECSDF uses money raised to fund innovative classroom projects through EXCELLS grants to enrich and enhance learning opportunities for district students. This year’s goal is to raise $75,000.

Two event organizers, Melissa Ryden and Suki Mitchell, are excited about the online mobile bidding for the auction. Thanks to high speed fiber optic internet now available at Vino in the Valley, people can bid on auction items at the event or from the comfort of their own homes on their computers or phones. Auction bidding ends at 8 p.m. Friday, May 31. People do not need to be present to win.

The auction features many items and experiences from local businesses, including a king size handmade quilt (in Panther colors) made by Ryden’s late mother, fireworks, an autographed Packer football, Badger tickets, Margo + Lola fly fishing lessons, Treasure Island waterpark passes, gift baskets,

“Now hopefully everybody’s going to look and we can reach a lot more people,” Ryden said. “And there’s all these super generous people we can highlight.”

To see auction items, head to https://givebutter.com/c/XA3QJm/auction and click on the blue “Register to Bid” button on the page’s right side. Make sure to click on “View all items” in each category.

This year’s fundraiser also allows people the opportunity to purchase an entire VIP table for $400 with their family, friends, or colleagues. This package includes eight tickets, a commemorative bottle of wine (to be taken home), dessert and priority seating for the Italian buffet.

Other highlights of the evening include wagon rides around the grounds, entertainment by the Ellsworth High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Karen Kornmann and local songstress Colleen Raye, a 50/50 raffle, wine pull, paddle battle and the opportunity to purchase cookies from Cookieing by Kim.

“We really want to shout out Vino in the Valley for hosting us and donating the time and venue,” Ryden said. “And the EHS Vocal Jazz group. It’s the seniors’ last performance of high school. It’s crazy generous of them to come back the week after they graduate and sing for us.”

Other large event sponsors include Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, CCF Bank, and Plummer Concrete & Associates Inc.

Thanks to the generosity of donors and businesses, ECSDF is able to fund multiple grants per year. For example, one teacher bought hammocks to string up in the school forest for kids to read in. St. Francis brought Trout in the Classroom to its students and recently released the trout into the Trimbelle. ECSDF sponsors the Ellsworth Elementary fourth grade annual trip to Madison. This year, two EHS seniors planned and hosted an Earth Day event at E-Town Collaborative, in part funded by a grant. Money is also used each for character education retreats.

“These projects get the community together with students,” Mitchell said. “We award $1,000 per grant. If we make more money, we’ll give more money.”

“Every penny from, all of the money that we raise at Taste of Tuscany is what is used to fund these grants and any other fundraisers we do throughout the year. The more support that we receive from the community, the more grants we’re able to fulfill,” Ryden said.

ECSDF and Vino in the Valley also award $1,000 to the Teacher of the Year. This year’s recipient is EES first grade teacher Emily Stiemann.

“She is a ball of energy,” Mitchell said. “Kids absolutely adore her and the parents love her.”

Tickets to Taste of Tuscany are available at ellsworthcommunityschoolfoundation.org and at the school district office. Those wishing to donate to the cause without bidding on silent auction items can do so on the website. Ryden reminds people to check with their employers to see if the company matches donations.