Legoland Fund Raiser Stacks Up $137,000

Emcee Mark Walton, Scott Meritt and Brian Hargett from the Carlsbad Police Officers Association, and Chris Lawrence and Ken Sugahara from the Carlsbad Firefighters Association (L-3730) present their donation to the Carlsbad Educational Foundation at the Celebrate Carlsbad Day at Legoland event on May 1, 2010.

For the past seven years the Carlsbad Education Foundation has teamed up with Legoland California Resort on Celebrate Carlsbad Day at the park. This year it was held on Saturday, May 1, 2010. With a specially priced $15 tickets, it’s the one day a year that we can actually afford to visit the the theme park. But more importantly, it’s a day that Legoland donates their proceeds to a very good cause: helping to educate the youth of Carlsbadistan.

Legoland donated $116,000 to help fund weekly music instruction for every elementary school student in the Carlsbad Unified School District through the upcoming year. And that’s pretty generous.

“This year’s ‘Celebrate Carlsbad Day’ was a major success, enabling us to raise enough funds to support our elementary school music program across nine schools for the entire first semester of the upcoming school year,” said Valin Brown, chief executive officer of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. “This means that more than 5,000 local students will receive weekly music instruction as a regular part of their public education. We couldn’t have done this without the tremendous generosity of LEGOLAND California as a phenomenal corporate partner that cares deeply about public education.”

Thanks, Legoland and donors who helped with the rest of the $137,000 raised. For more information on the day follow the jump.
Carlsbad Educational Foundation Raises a Record $137,000 at Annual ‘Celebrate Carlsbad Day’ at LEGOLANDÒ California Event

May 1 Event Supports Local Schools

Carlsbad, Calif. – The seventh annual “Celebrate Carlsbad Day” held at LEGOLAND® California in support of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation (CEF) and nearly 11,000 local students, was a tremendous success, garnering a record-breaking $137,000 in support for local education. LEGOLAND California donated $116,000 of the total funds raised to help fund weekly music instruction for every elementary school student in the Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) throughout the upcoming school year.

Specially-priced $15 “Celebrate Carlsbad Day” tickets included admission to LEGOLAND, a special fireworks show and extended park hours for the annual event.

“This year’s ‘Celebrate Carlsbad Day’ was a major success, enabling us to raise enough funds to support our elementary school music program across nine schools for the entire first semester of the upcoming school year,” said Valin Brown, chief executive officer of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. “This means that more than 5,000 local students will receive weekly music instruction as a regular part of their public education. We couldn’t have done this without the tremendous generosity of LEGOLAND California as a phenomenal corporate partner that cares deeply about public education.”

According to Peter Ronchetti general manager of LEGOLAND California Resort, “Celebrate Carlsbad Day” offers an annual opportunity to appreciate what it means to live and work in and around Carlsbad, while highlighting the importance of a strong, local educational system that thoroughly prepares students for the future. “At LEGOLAND California, we believe strongly in the value of education,” he added. “We are absolutely thrilled to be the host of ‘Celebrate Carlsbad Day’ again this year and to demonstrate our continuing commitment to our local schools.”

Carlsbad City Council Members Keith Blackburn, Matt Hall, and Mark Packard were in attendance along with State Assemblyman Martin Garrick, Police Chief Tom Zoll, Fire Chief Kevin Crawford, Superintendent Dr. John Roach, and members of the local school board and foundation board. Representatives from local businesses also attended and made major contributions to the Carlsbad Educational Foundation during the festivities. Major donors included Barnhart Balfour Beatty Inc., Life Technologies, Gafcon, Tri-City Medical Center, along with recognition of significant donations made recently by ViaSat and Beckman Coulter Foundation. Additional donations were received from Keith Blackburn, AutoClaims Direct, the Carlsbad Police Officers Association, Carlsbad Hi Noon Rotary, the Carlsbad Firefighter Association, Joey Szalkiewicz, and The Lund Team.

Additionally, highly entertaining student performances took place from 3 to 5 p.m., interspersed with special recognition of elected officials and all of the event’s major donors.

Jefferson Elementary School’s 5th grade guitar students perform at Fun Town Stage as part of this year’s Celebrate Carlsbad Day at LEGOLAND event.

The proceedings were taped by CHSTV before a live audience on LEGOLAND California’s Fun Town Stage as part of this year’s Kids Are Worth A Million™ telecast, which will air on Time Warner Cable channel 24 on June 3, 4, 5 and 6 at 7 p.m.