First Time Ever: Blind Date With a Book and a Bottle

Barnes and Noble 

has teamed up with Tomcat Liquor 

to help TPSF create our first ever Blind Date With a Book and a Bottle.

For only $30, you can select a brown paper bag.  A label on the bag will hint at its contents. It might say something like, "If you want to eat like Tony Soprano, then spend some time with this!"  The bag will contain a book and a beverage that has been carefully paired.

Just like a blind date, you don't know if you will get a trendy, hot title of the week or a classic beauty.

We guarantee there will be no duds! Who can go wrong with a book and a bottle, right?

People who are over 21 can purchase a bag with a book and a bottle of wine that has been matched to the book.  We will also have alcohol-free options that are paired for those under 21.

What's the difference between VIP and regular admission?

TPSF Uncorked is open to the public and free of charge so everyone can celebrate our schools. Free admission will get you yummy food from Napoli's, RibCrib, Chilango's, and Reasor's. Enjoy the opportunity to donate money through a variety of fun ways: ring toss from Tomkat Liquor, Blind Date With a Book and a Bottle from Barnes & Noble and Tomkat Liquor, door prize tickets, silent auction, and live auction. 

HOWEVER, if you like adult beverages....

The VIP room will cost you, but it is so worth it. $25 in advance or $30 at the door will gain you access to the tasting room and two door prize tickets ($10 value).

Sommelier Heather Ezell has teamed up with Mary's Liquor, Deep Branch Winery, and Reasor's to create a menu to delight your senses. Throughout the evening, she will take the stage to educate guests on pairing food and wine and beer.

 Each VIP attendee will receive a tasting card with twelve tastes of whichever combination of beverages you choose. If you find something you like, stop by Mary's Liquor's booth and order your favorites for your home. All proceeds go to TPSF.

The first 200 VIP tickets sold will receive a commemorative wine glass. Tickets are available at Mary's Liquor.

At this point, only 33 numbered VIP tickets remain, so get yours today.

So...what exactly is Uncorked?

Uncorked is Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation's annual celebration of schools on Friday, May 12, 2017, from 7-9 pm at the Armory on 100 N. Water Street.  We congratulate our grant recipients and kick off the fundraising for next year. Last year we raised over $10,000. This year, we hope to raise more. Uncorked is a party where the whole community is invited to celebrate the employees at TPS who do so much for our children.

FREE ADMISSION 
COME AS YOU ARE
Be comfortable, join the fun, and throw a little money at education. Napoli's, Rib Crib, Chilango's and Reasor's have donated food and beverages. TPSF's partner Northeastern Health System has donated a Starbuck's coffee bar. Enjoy these complimentary items as you stroll through about 90 auction items and door prizes.

SILENT AUCTION
Items will be sectioned off with three separate closing times throughout the evening. Why? If you can't stay all night, we want you to still be able to have a bidding war and take home prizes.

DOOR PRIZES
Every TPS employee and VIP ticket will receive a free door prize ticket.  More are available for $5 each or 5 for $20.  Libby and Brandi will roam the crowd and sell more throughout the night.  They can also be purchased at the VIP ticket area. Drop your ticket(s) in the bucket beside an item you want to win.  Who knows? You may win a helicopter ride for only a $5!

Better buy lots of tickets just to be sure.

LIVE AUCTION
***NEW THIS YEAR***
Tahlequah Lumber has generously donated THREE Yeti coolers.  We will hold a live auction for each one.  After the last one has been auctioned, the winners may open them. Inside one of them will be a $100 gift certificate from Rum Runners.

Didn't see that coming, did you?

TOMKAT LIQUOR BOOTH
***NEW THIS YEAR***
Tomkat Liquor is joining us this year with a booth. Half of the proceeds from their booth will go to Tahlequah High School's Save a Senior, which is an evening event after graduation in which students can safely and legally celebrate.

BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK AND A BOTTLE
***NEW THIS YEAR***
Tomkat and Barnes and Noble have participated a fun combination of grab bags.  For only $30, you can select a brown paper bag with a book and bottle inside.  You don't know what the book and bottle are, but there will be a hint of the contents--just like a blind date!

MARY'S LIQUOR
At the exit, Mary's Liquor will be taking orders for wines and beers enjoyed at the VIP area. Proceeds will go to Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation. Stock up and give back at the same time.

Cheers to that!

VIP AREA
You must have a wrist band to enter and the first 200 tickets get a commemorative wine glass. Here we will recognize our grant recipients, receive an education on the food and beverage pairings, and be entertained by Tahlequah Show Choir and a live band. Tickets to the VIP area are $25 in advance or $30 at the door.  Advanced tickets may be purchased at Mary's Liquor, The Right Angle Photography, Celeste Looney Insurance, and Aerofit.

SOMMELIER HEATHER EZELL
Heather is back this year and we are giving her the stage.  Several times throughout the evening, she will take the mic to share her knowledge on why the menu pairings from Reasors, Mary's Liquor, and Deep Branch Winery are so perfect.  She will be available all night for questions.  We at TPSF believe in education.  Listen to Heather, and you will definitely leave feeling more knowledgeable.

Psst! Heather also hosts tasting parties. Schedule one with her, and you'll learn even more with her cozier tutorial.

AFTER PARTY AT THE BRANCH
***NEW THIS YEAR***
The Branch is hosting an after party for anyone who doesn't feel that 7-9 pm is adequate time to celebrate our schools.  They are sharing a percentage of the proceeds with TPSF.

We have a great community!

Uncorked 2016: Bigger and Better Than Ever!

Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation held its annual Uncorked event at the Armory Municipal Center on May 5, 2016. It was a successful and fun evening recognizing our grant recipients, celebrating our schools and kicking off the fundraising campaign for 2016-2017 school year.

a few of the TPS employees we celebrated at TPSF Uncorked

TPSF treasurer Lisa Czlonka was thrilled with this year’s event. “We did amazing!  Uncorked raised over $10,000. Our generous community recognizes the value of educators and the importance of supporting our schools during this time of financial cutbacks.”

2016 is the sixth year for the Uncorked event and the fourth location.  Last year the organization sold a total of 78 tickets. This year they presold 191. 
Do we need a larger venue?

“You need to go bigger next year,” preschool teacher Angie Aldridge said. “The Sequoyah bunch had fun. We’ll be back.”

Czlonka said, “I spoke with the teachers and one told me she’d lost her voice and felt like she’d been at a concert because it was so much fun.”

Sequoyah paraprofessional Angela Sherron agreed.  “I loved the variety of the auction baskets. Also, I felt like Tahlequah came out and supported us. There were a lot of TPS employees as well as community members.”

Sommelier Heather Ezell and Dirk Van Veen of Mary's Liquor scout wine selections

“We had sommelier Heather Ezell this year, which added to the excitement for our foodies,” PR director Brandi Barnett said. “She was one of several contributing factors that aided in selling tickets and selling out of wine that night.”

Board member Kim Copeland had an additional theory to the night’s success. “The event had a great coordinator which brought in substantial funds.”

“When you have a foundation you truly believe in, it’s not hard to ask people to support it,” said Mesha Sanchez, event chair. “I’m so proud of our community for seeing the value of Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation and completely going above and beyond. The crowd this year was not in it to make a deal. Our donors stepped up because we stepped up.”

Local businesses and eateries donated thousands of dollars worth of auction items, door prizes, and food.  Napoli’s, Rib Crib, and The Branch donated to the general admission side while Mary’s Liquor and Reasor’s provided the wine and food pairings.

a few photos of the popular VIP area with the beverage and food pairings

The money raised by Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation is awarded to teachers in the form of grants. In January, the TPSF Prize Patrol made its rounds to the schools and announced recipients. They included a hands-on science lab in the preschool, a summer arts academy in which 3^rd -8^th graders will perform Seussical the Musical, and robotics instruction at the high school level.  Teachers can submit online now for next year.

TPSF donated almost $30,000 for the 2015-2016 school year. 10 % of those funds came directly from TPS employees who donated each month from their paychecks. TPSF hopes to give more money in grants this year, but that depends on donations.

American Fidelity, Reasor’s and Mary’s Liquor were 2015-2016 TPSF partners and the foundation is seeking partners for this next school year starting at the $5,000 and $10,000 levels. 

“Of course, any donation is appreciated at any time,” said Barnett. “Every penny adds change.”

Make your tax-deductible donation today. Learn more by going to www.tahlequahpublicschoolsfoundation.org, follow the blog at tpsfoundation.blogspot.com, or like Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation on Facebook. Donate online or mail donations to TPSF, 1 Plaza South, PMB #276, Tahlequah, OK 74464.  You can also select TPSF as your charity on smile.amazon.com, and a percentage of your purchase will be donated.

How do I win those prizes?

If you've followed us on our Facebook event Uncorked 2016, you've seen all sorts of posts about the fabulous donated items you can win at #TPSFuncorked.

But how do you win them?

Some will be silent auction items. Win them the  good, old-fashioned way by out-bidding someone else on a bid sheet. That's right. Go ahead and pretend to be nonchalantly standing nearby while you secretly watch that sheet like a hawk and out-bid anyone who tries to outbid you.  It's all in good fun, and the money will benefit Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation.

Some of those fabulous prizes will be door prizes. Since this is a celebration of schools, all TPS employees will receive one door prize ticket.  Everyone else can purchase one for $5. If you see something  you like, simply place your ticket in the little bucket beside it for your chance to win.  Don't like those odds?  No problem!  We will sell you more tickets! $5 per ticket or 5 tickets for $20.  Remember, it's all for a good cause. 

And we have fabulous prizes.  

So, bring your sense of fun and your wallet. We take cash, check or credit cards.

But even if you don't have money to spare, please drop by to thank the school employees who are for giving so much every day.  Unless you're in the VIP Uncorked area (tickets at the door are $30 each), you have free general admission to enjoy the food donated by Rib Crib, Napoli's, Reasor's and The Branch--and thank a TPS employee.

School Employees are Our Unsung Heroes

They sweep the floors.

They dish out food.

They answer phones.

They teach our children.

They lose sleep thinking of how to make life better for kids who can't do it themselves.

Thank you to the custodians, the crossing guards, the police officers, the cafeteria workers, the receptionists, the paras, the administrators and teachers who believe in our kids.

They believe in our foundation, too.

10% of the money we donated to this year's grant recipients was donated from Tahlequah Public Schools employees, who participated in payroll deduction.

They believe in us enough to trust us to put their hard earned money where it belongs.

Thank you.

If you believe in us, too, please donate.

Mail checks to:

Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation

1 Plaza South, PMB #276

Tahlequah, OK 74464

or click here to donate online

or use Amazon Smiles when you order online and check Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation as your charity and we will automatically get a donation

or join us this Thursday, May 5, 2016 at the armory from 7-9 to celebrate all who work in our schools.

Celebration of Schools on May 5, 2016

And we appreciate our administrators and support staff, too. Tahlequah Public Schools wouldn't be the same without you.

Celebration of Schools: Uncorked 2016 is a time to say "thank you" to all the people who answered the call to help educate our community's children.

Please join Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation this Thursday (Cinco de Mayo!) from 7-9 at the Armory.  Meet this year's grant recipients--and watch a video featuring their coolness--and thank all the other school personnel who make TPS great.

If you work for the schools, you get a free door prize/raffle ticket. If you're a 2015-2016 grant recipient, you get free access to the VIP Uncorked room. So, teachers, administrators, and support staff, bring a friend who doesn't work for the schools.  Have them buy you more door prize tickets.  Or an auction item.  You deserve it.

Celebrate Schools at #TPSFuncorked on Thursday, May 5, 2016

We are celebrating our schools on Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the Armory Municipal Building in Tahlequah from 7-9 PM.

What should you expect?

Uncorked celebrates the grant recipients from 2015-2016 school year and kicks off our fundraising for next year's grants.  So, please bring your checkbook, your piggy banks, and your credit cards.  We want to help our schools, and our teachers know what they need. Help us give it to them!

Behind door #1 is General Admission: Join us for tasty treats from local restaurants Napoli's, Rib Crib, The Branch and Reasor's. Distract your young ones with our special kid-friendly area. Enjoy music from our middle school choir.  Purchase door prize tickets for $5 each or 5 tickets for $20.  Bid on silent auction items donated by our amazing local businesses. Thank school employees for making our community better and smarter.

ALSO,

Behind door #2 is Uncorked: Join us for the "uncorked" aspect of our event.  Advanced tickets are available for $20 at Celeste Looney Insurance, TRA Photography, Health First Chiropractic, and Mary's Liquor. Tickets are $30 at the door. What do you get for your ticket?  Local sommelier Heather Ezell has paired tasty treats from Reasor's with delicious wine and beer from Mary's Liquor. You'll also get two door prize tickets, and the first 100 get a commemorative wine glass. Heather will be around all night to answer your questions about everything from dark beer to picnic bubblies. (You might even ask her about which wine is best with paddle board yoga because she is the owner of Hang Zen!) She will give special talks at 7:15 and 8:00.

PLUS,

These super-cool tumblers will be available for $50. Be the first to get yours at #TPSFuncorked.

Drink a cool or warm beverage in style and support of public education.

If you can't make it that evening for whatever reason--like you'd rather sit in your pajamas at home--we understand. Please consider donating online. Just click here to go to our website and click on the "donate" button.  Thanks!

Uncorked 2016: It's coming!

Uncorked 2016 promises to be another fabulous celebration of our schools.  Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation welcomes the community on Thursday, May 5, 2016, from 7-9 at the Armory Municipal Building.

Free admission allows the opportunity for everyone who would like to participate. Enjoy the entertainment from our middle school show choir, congratulate the TPSF grant recipients, bid on our silent auction items, purchase extra door prize tickets--because you know you'll want to--and nosh on snacks from our local restaurants. Additional door prize tickets will be available: one for $5 or five for $20.

The wine and beer pairing area will be extra special this year thanks to our very own sommelier Heather Ezell. (You may also know her as the owner of Hang Zen yoga.) Not only has she hand-selected the wines and food pairings, but she will offer several classes throughout the night discussing how to pair the wines and beers with the food donated from Reasor's. Also, she will be available for questions throughout the evening, so take advantage of her expertise. Once again, Mary's Liquor is donating all wine for the evening and will have extra for sale--proceeds go to TPSF. Tickets are available for $20 in advance at Mary's Liquor, Celeste Looney Insurance, Health First Chiropractic, and TRA Photography.  They will be $30 at the door. The first 100 tickets receive a commemorative wine glass.

Please help us publicize Uncorked 2016 that kicks off our fundraising campaign for the 2016-2017 school year and celebrates the recipients from the current year. Go ahead and invite your friends to our event through Facebook. For all social media, use #TPSFuncorked.

As always, donations are welcome. Simply click here to give online.

TPSF for 2015-2016

We gave away over $45, 000 last year to provide educational opportunities to Tahlequah students. Please help us do it again. 

Here's how you can help.  

1. Share this poster.  It lists events and donation opportunities.

2. Mail a check.

TPSF

1 Plaza South, PMB#276

Tahlequah, OK 74464

3. Donate online. Click here to use credit card or Paypal account.

4. Link your Amazon smile account.

• Sign in to smile.amazon.com using Amazon account
• Select Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation as your charity
• Shop! When you shop through smile.amazon.com .5% goes to TPSF.
• Share with friends. When confirmation pops up, you'll be given opportunity to share with your friends via Twitter, Facebook or email.

No amount is too small. No amount is too large. Please donate today. With your generosity, we are lighting the path towards excellence.

So, let me get this straight...

Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation is hosting Uncorked 2015: Celebrating Teachers on Thursday, May 7, at the Spider Gallery on Muskogee Avenue?

The mayor has even named the day in Tahlequah Celebrating Teachers Day?

Admission is free to participate in door prizes and auction items?

TPS employees and teachers get extra tickets for chance to win special prizes?

Teachers can even win a substitute for the day?

Wine, cheese, and food will be available for $25 each or 2 for $40?

I can buy wine to take home?

All money raised helps this foundation support our schools?

Yes!

Join us!

Uncorked 2015: Celebrating Teachers

Thursday, May 7

6-9

Spider Gallery

Door prizes!

We've talked a lot about how we've added door prizes this year.  Here are the times we are giving away the goods.  You must be present to win. 

Note that there are two different lists. One is for our community patrons and the other is for TPS employees. That's right. They have an additional drawing. It is their party, after all.  PLUS, there will be another drawing each hour to give a substitute to three lucky teachers.  You don't want to miss Uncorked 2015!

Door Prizes

Public

6:15 Studio22 (Aleah Young) – gift certificate $30

NSU Barnes & Noble - pullover

Drip – a drink a day for one week

6:30 Rib Crib BBQ basket

Onstage Dance - one-month tuition

Boulevard – gift certificate $25

Cherokee baskets by Merle Welch

6:45 Quahfit Elite – gift certificate $60

NSU football shirt

Southern Bling – gift certificate $20

Nails by Jo – spa pedicure

7:00 Studio 22 (Priscilla Valdez) – gift certificate $30

Onstage - one-month tuition

Meigs Jewelry – Vera Bradley wallet

Hang Zen – stand-up paddleboard yoga

7:15 Studio22 (Rachel Dobbs) – gift certificate $30

THS Games - athletic passes

Vivid Salon – spa treatment

K-nex building system

7:30 Rib Crib BBQ basket

Tommy Nix – oil and filter change

NSU Barnes & Noble - shirt

7:45 Yeti tumbler 20 oz. and visor from Tahlequah Lumber

Wailani’s – body scrub and Hawaiian chocolates

31 thermal tote (Sam Davis)

Purple basket set by Merle Welch

8:00 Quahfit Elite – gift certificate $60

Remedy Blu (Daniel Aaron) – cut and style

NSU XL football shirt

8:15 Sooner Plant Farm – gift certificate $50

Oasis Health Foods – gift certificate $50

Gigglebox – lunch box and plate set

Must be present to collect door prizes

Door Prizes

TPS Employees

6:15 NSU Barnes & Noble - wine glass

Studio 22 (Priscilla Valdez) – gift certificate $30

Purple and blue basket set by Merle Welch

6:30 Substitute (teacher’s day off)

Vivid Salon – Spa Treatment

6:45 Felts OU watch & red and white basket by Merle Welch

Rib Crib BBQ basket

7:00 Quahfit Elite – gift certificate $60

Striped pen basket by Merle Welch

7:15 Yeti tumbler 20 oz. and visor from Tahlequah Lumber

NSU XL football shirt

7:30 Substitute

7:45 Stella and Dot necklace from Ashley Taulbert

8:00 Onstage Dance – one-month tuition

Drip – a drink a day for one week

8:15 Nails by Jo – service (gel toes)

Hang Zen – t-shirt

8:30 Substitute

Must be present to collect door prizes

Sneak Peek at Uncorked 2015 Auction Items

Thanks to our supportive community, you can shop and support Tahlequah Public Schools Foundation at the same time!

Auction Room 1

Closes at 8:15

•Cook's Companion (Dina Lippert) – Pizza Oven - $300 value

•J&K Dump Trucking (Jason Copeland) - 18 tons of 1 ½ crusher run, driveway rock (dump truck load delivered within Cherokee County) - $275 value

•Century 21 (Tommye Wright) - Bob Dylan Tickets at Hard Rock - $243.80 value

•TRA Photography - $250 photo gift card toward new session and prints  - $250 value

•Tanya Jones - ruby and diamond ring - $250 value

•Dotson Vision Care - polarized glasses and eye exam - $260 value

•Ghost Mobile Detailing – auto detail service - $200 value

•Health First Chiropractic - new patient consultation, x-ray, adjustment, and therapeutic basket (Garden of Life organic plant protein, shaker bottle, Sombra) - $230 value

•Hard Rock Hotel & Casino: one night for two and two buffets - $175 value

•CN Gift Shop - prints by Cecil Dick, striped basket by Merle Welch, NDN Custom Framing frame, $50 gift certificate - $155 value

Auction Room 2

Closes at 8:00

•Robotics Academy of Critical Engagement and Cappi Wadley - Reading and Technology Robotics camp at NSU - $150 value

•Tahlequah Crossfit - 1-month membership and gift basket -  $145 value

•Celeste Looney Insurance (Garrett and Brandi Barnett) - Fitbit Charge Activity Tracker - $130 value

•A Bloom - flower arrangement and $50 gift certificate - (must be present at end of auction) - $100 value

•Tahlequah Soccer Club - 1-year soccer registration and 3 t-shirts - $115 value

•Remedy Blu (Ashley Hunt) - Goldwell shampoo & mask and

Cut & style - $90 value

•Mustard Seed (Sharon Copeland) - Vintage Pearl necklace and gift certificate - $90 value

•NEO Health – Native American Print - $100 value

Auction Room 3

Closes at 7:45

•Wailani’s- girl’s toy set - $70 value

•Tahlequah Cable – camping tent - $68 value

•Skatehouse - birthday party package - $65 value

•Tahlequah Cable – 20” bike - $50 value

•Dona Lusk - therapeutic massage - $50 value

•Riverhawks Soccer - 1/2-day soccer camp - $55 value

•K-9 Acres Pet Resort (Heidi Carter) - Scentsy gift basket - $50 value

•Baker's Furniture – Parisian lamp - $59 value

•CN Gift Shop – print by Cecil Dick and blue & white basket by Merle Welch - $50 value

•Court Spa (Courtney Holt) – full set of lash extensions - $180 value

•Scott Rosenthal autographed memorabilia - $50 value