By Tara Cavanaugh
The Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop and the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation deserve a hearty round of applause after winning an annarbor.com “Deal of the Year” Award.
The annual awards highlight business decisions that had the most impact on the area during the past year.
The shop and the foundation shared the award in the nonprofit category. They were nominated for their joint funding of late middle school busing earlier this year. Each nonprofit donated $43,000 toward the transportation costs, helping hundreds of middle schoolers get a safe ride home after participating in after-school enrichment activities.
The award was given at a black-tie gala at Eastern Michigan University Nov. 2 that was attended by many notable community members and leaders, including Gov. Rick Snyder and Congressman John Dingell.
“We were pleasantly surprised and excited to win,” said Omari Rush, AAPSEF board president. “All of this recognition for our support of middle school after-school busing is just a bonus on top of us already feeling great about helping enrich the lives of AAPS students.”
Rush attended the event along with AAPSEF board members Christy Perros and Barbara Eichmuller. Thrift shop assistant manager Paulette Brown, board members Annette Ferguson and Jeff Hayner along with Ann Farnham, the shop’s director of communications and community relations, also attended.
“All of us there represented our community,” Farnham said. “That’s how we got to where we are. It’s not one person or a couple of people; it’s this community pulling for the same mission, having the same vision.”
The award, a large piece of crystal, is now on display on the mantle near the entrance of the thrift shop.
AAPSEF is an independent, community-based, non-profit organization committed to helping all Ann Arbor Public Schools students achieve their highest potential by providing community support for innovative and excellent educational opportunities.
The PTO Thrift Shop is a non-profit resale shop with all proceeds from shop activities benefitting Ann Arbor Public Schools and its PTOs, Parent Councils, teams, clubs and other groups in support of AAPS student enrichment.
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- AAPSEF, PTO Thrift Shop collaborate on late middle school busing
- PTO Thrift Shop donates $100K to AAPS transportation fund
- PTO Thrift Shop profits create cash for AAPS
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