Press Releases 

For Immediate Release
Contact: Sarah Lynch or Patty Cowan, 437-8059 ext 1 or 3

Local Businesses Help CSF Telethon “Survive and Thrive”

Coronado  -- The 22nd  annual Coronado Schools Foundation (CSF) Telethon on March 24th, presented by Time Warner Cable, will not only highlight the talents of members of the Coronado community, it will also cast a spotlight on the contributions of local businesses who have donated their services, time, products and money to make the event a success, collectively contributing over $28,000.

“The Telethon logo this year sends three important key messages about our district and the efforts we’re making to reach out to our community for support,” noted Sarah Lynch, Development Coordinator for this year’s Telethon. “Our students “OUTLEARN” thanks to our great teachers; We are “Outraged” by the state budget cuts to education; and with our community’s pledge, they can help us “OUTRAISE” last year’s record Telethon Tally of $155,027!”

This year the first hour of the Telethon will unveil a special opening act involving more than just whose on stage. At 4:30pm, cast and crew will be standing by and the audience will seated immediately after. When the clock strikes 5:00pm, its action time! Live broadcast will be at Coronado High School Theatre again on Time Warner Cable’s Channel 19. In addition, for the first time ever in Telethon history, the Telethon will be available via Internet streaming on the CSF Website. Parents and loved ones across the country as well as those deployed can watch their children over the World Wide Web! Celebrity host Jane Mitchell, Channel  4, will co-host the evening with the principal “tribe leaders” from each campus. Village Elementary will kick off the evening in the first hour and wrapping for the evening with Coronado High School (CHS). Thirty plus acts featuring more than a thousand public school children will be showcased throughout the evening while live challenges will be presented to each of the principal “tribe leaders” during their designated hour.

The production of the CSF Telethon is only possible through the ongoing financial and technical support of Presenting Partner Time Warner Cable. Terry Farrelly, CSF Board Vice President notes, “We are very fortunate to have the support of Time Warner Cable, not only with the Telethon, but in terms of supporting math, science and technology programs at our schools.”

In addition to significant support from Time Warner Cable, Coronado public schools also benefit from partnerships within the local business community. Martial Arts America (MAA), a Corporate Lifetime Member of CSF, will again be acting as Producing Partner for the fifth year in a row. This year’s Hour Partners are Hotel del Coronado, Mootime/Beach-n-Diner/Village Pizzeria/ Lil’ Piggy’s BBQ , Business Products Express and Willis Allen Real Estate.  Each of these sponsors has made a significant financial contribution to the Telethon and will be actively involved the night of the event.  “We ask our supporters to be sure and shop and dine at these businesses that support our schools.  In order for the business owners to continue to support CSF, they need our  parents, teachers and students to shop locally,” added Farrelly.

The Telethon is also supported by six returning Underwriting Partners: Chicago Title, Mullins Orthodontics, Spiro’s Gyros, Wells Fargo, The Frensdorff Group at General Mortgage Corporation and Alexander’s Pizza. Two new partners have joined this group including Coronado Training Center and Sun Isle Reality.

CSF Telethon promises to be an extraordinary evening of riveting entertainment and will touch on a multitude of concrete examples of how donations to CSF benefit the schools. In addition to the Telethon itself, there are a plethora of related events in the CHS Quad that night that also benefit Coronado’s schools.   The CHS Senior Class will be hosting a fundraising BBQ in the High School Quad to support senior class activities, and survivor-related challenges such as “build a shelter” and a “water reserve relay” will be some of the many fun events for the whole family. The CSF Food Court run by teachers will offer Village Pizzeria Pizza and Moo Time Mini Moo ice cream. In addition supporters will be able to create a Buff, complimented with free face painting from Coronado High art students to support their tribe. Returning for the second year in row will be the dunk tank.  Come on down for a chance to dunk your favorite teachers and coaches for a small donation!

For those unable to join us live, the Telethon will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable Channel 19 from 5-9pm on Wednesday, March 24th. Please be sure to tune in to make your donation and support our local schools and visit www.csfkids.org to watch the Telethon streamed live on the Internet!

For more information about the Telethon, contact Development Coordinator Sarah Lynch at 619-437-8059 or sarah@csfkids.org.

Sarah Lynch to Manage CSF March Telethon 

With the Survive and Thrive Telethon theme, CMS Principal Jay Marquand (right) will be the “CMS tribe leader” for the March 24th benefit event.  Ramona Loiselle (left), CMS and CUSD Technology Resource Teacher, and Sarah Lynch (center), CSF Development Coordinator, are part of the CUSD team working hard on the Telethon.  (Photo by Patty Cowan)

CORONADO – Sarah Lynch, with a Bachelor of Arts in Media Management and a Minor in Spanish, has joined the staff of the Coronado Schools Foundation as Development Coordinator to manage this year’s March 24th Telethon, presented by Time Warner Cable. 

Lynch has extensive experience working at KPBS as well as the Media Arts Center of San Diego and San Diego Latino Film Festival.  “With her multicultural background, and keen interest in media relations, she’s a natural to take the helm of this year’s event to bring our community together in support of public education.  And, coming from a family of educators and married to a USN SEAL, she brings intrinsic qualities to the job which will help us raise much needed funds for our school district,” said CSF Executive Director Patty Cowan.  “In addition the show being aired live on Time Warner Cable Channel 19, it will also be available nationally and globally with live Internet streaming for the first time.  Parents who may be deployed as well as relatives across the globe will be able to watch over 1,000 Coronado school children with their dedicated teachers performing.” 

 “I’m excited to be managing this event and working with Telethon Producer Bill Putnam as well as teachers, administrators and local business leaders.  Our goal this year is to “survive and thrive”, despite the $1.5M in budget cuts facing Coronado’s five schools.  I look forward to bringing some creative new elements to the event with the Survive and Thrive theme, and know from personal experience how important a quality education is to each and every student,” noted Lynch. 

“We had a wealth of talented applicants apply, but  Sarah’s skill set with on-air TV and script writing really set her apart from the others.  She has not only the right credentials, but brings a combination of energy, fundraising experience, and organizational experience to this pivotal role in our foundation,” noted CSF Vice President Terry Farrelly, who was part of the interview team. “She will be instrumental in our efforts to grow the supplemental funding that has become essential to the continued excellence of our public schools.”  

“I lived in Coronado for a number of years and feel fortunate to be part of a respected organization for a cause I believe in,” added Lynch.  “Having lived in many parts of the world, living in Coronado is indeed as if living in a “bubble”. Well, the bubble has popped and the reality is that everyone needs to understand that this situation is dire. The problem is bigger than the Telethon, but as a community we can come together to share this burden and give hope for sustaining a quality education for our children.” “We have just two business partner slots left for this event and I look forward to working with local business partners in support of our schools.” 

Back for the fifth year as Producing Partner is Martial Arts America; Hour Partners include Business Products Express, Hotel del Coronado, Spatafore Family of Restaurants (Village Pizzeria, Beach-n-Diner, Mootime Creamery and Bayside Pizzeria), and Willis Allen Real Estate.   At the underwriting level, just two slots remain to join returning partners Alexander’s Pizza, Chicago Title, The Frensdorff Group at General Mortgage Corporation, Mullins Orthodontics, Spiro’s Gyros, and Wells Fargo Bank.     

With the CSF Telethon on Wednesday, March 24th in the Coronado High Theatre, please call the Foundation today at 437-8059, ext 1if you are interested in a business partnership, volunteering the day or night of the event, or pledging a donation.  

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