Gathered in a room full of round tables covered in white cloth and red napkins, with dimmed lights illuminating star-shaped red and white balloons, around 250 people came together to raise $50,000 on a Saturday night.It was the largest takeaway yet for the annual Red and White Dinner, hosted by the WISE Foundation at Holy Rosary School April 14.The lion’s share of that money will be split between scholarships for high school seniors and grants to fund learning opportunities in the Warren County R-III School District.One innovative program for students can be seen, and often heard, at Warrior Ridge Elementary. Classes at the school are learning to play the ukulele thanks to a nearly $2,000 grant for 30 instruments and accessory equipment.The funding was entirely provided by the WISE Foundation, said music teacher Ashley Gadberry.“It’s a beautiful thing to know your community is behind you,” Gadberry said. “That’s the beauty of Warrenton — a community that is working together hand in hand to make students successful.”The ukuleles have provided students with a new way to learn fundamental music skills, playing chords and singing folk music while also improving their hand-eye coordination.The combination of being small enough to move and play, but flexible in the kind of skills they can be used to teach, is something students didn’t have access to before, Gadberry said.Learning to play the stringed instruments builds self esteem and confidence in students as they develop, she said. Ukuleles also offer a good starting point for those who want to continue with music as they grow up.The instruments were purchased just before Christmas break last year, Gadberry said, and will continue to become more involved in the music curriculum for the young students.“I feel very blessed to work in this community that sees the importance of music, and fine arts in general,” she added. “The WISE Foundation is so awesome, because it gives opportunities to enrich students’ lives.”The more than $50,000 raised by this year’s Red and White Dinner far exceeded previous years, said organizer Dale Schowe.“I am humbled, honored, appreciative to no end at the community’s support,” said Schowe, who is a board member of the WISE Foundation, which was formed to collect and administer charitable funding for the school district and its students.Certain expenses for the Red and White dinner still have to be paid out of the $50,000 gross income, Schowe said. The remaining money will go to the foundation.Money awarded by the foundation is split with about half going to scholarships and half going toward classroom grants, said WISE Foundation President John Clinger.The kinds of projects supported by the foundation are diverse, he said, depending on what ideas teachers submit and what funding is available.He thanked donors and attendees of the Red and White Dinner, along with those who supplied items for auction, for their help supporting education and innovative classroom opportunities.Clinger, who also is president of the R-III Board of Education and a former teacher, said it’s gratifying to see people he knew as students coming back as adults to promote the education of a future generation.“We saw a lot of people who had their kids involved — business families in the community, professionals, who had their grown children come back and participate with them,” Clinger said.He also thanked Schowe, who is leaving the WISE Foundation board after this year.The foundation took over the annual fundraising dinner at Holy Rosary starting four years ago. It was previously organized by the Warren County Rotary Club.

Pictured, from left, John and Janelle Stanek, Justin and Katrina Conway, and Jodi Brown sit together at the 2018 Red and White Dinner fundraiser at Holy Rosary School in Warrenton. The event raised over $50,000 this year. Record photo/Adam Rollins.

A class of fifth-grade students at Warrior Ridge Elementary in Warrenton show off the ukuleles that were delivered to the school in December. The instruments were paid for with funding from the WISE Foundation, which is supported by community donations. Submitted photo.