Whole Foods presents “big check” to FOCRLS (10/18/2012)

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City officials and others in attendance:
-city council: Minka van Beuzekom, Tim Toomey
-school committee: Patty Nolan, Fred Fantini, Mark McGovern
-CRLS: Damon Smith (Principal), Rene Meshon (Tutoring Center Director), Angelica Brisk (Media Arts faculty), Larry Aaronson (CRLS/CPS Photographer), and students
-Whole Foods: Peter Sharon (Prospect St.), David Remillard (River St.), Claire Davies (Fresh Pond), Ivy Welch (Prospect St.)

At a lively little ceremony marked by excitement, enthusiasm, and goodwill, Whole Foods officials presented a Big Check for $15,287.91 to Friends of Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (FOCRLS) on Thursday, October 18, 2012 at the high school. This check will contribute to funding programs at CRLS, in particular faculty and student grants in the areas of ecology, the environment, and nutrition. The donation represents five percent of Whole Foods’ sales from all three Cambridge Whole Foods stores on “5% Day” on September 12, 2012.

“The four key themes that frame the back story for this event are Investment, Mission, Community, and Partnership,” said Elaine Schear, FOCRLS President, thanking the Whole Foods marketing team, city officials, Principal Damon Smith, school staff, and FOCRLS and student volunteers for 5% day.

“Investment – community investment – in our CRLS high school youth is a core value of FOCRLS and its programs. More investment will make all of our programs more robust, in particular faculty grants for projects exploring environmental, health, nutritional, ecological ideas and issues,” she said.

“Secondly, our missions – CRLS/CPS/Whole Foods – mesh, reinforce, and echo each other: the health of our children – care for the environment, team work, diversity, opportunity and respect in workplace and schools.”

“Third – community – the teamwork at work behind today’s event – the Whole Foods marketing and design people, the FOCRLS volunteer parents, student shoppers, communications people, volunteers in the stores on September 12, student journalists on the CRLS school newspaper, other businesses supporting business and the school, like the Cambridge Trust Company.”

“And last not least, partnership – what doesn’t show on the surface – relationships developed over time with Whole Foods, and continuing into the future, based on our missions to invest in the community, our youth, to promote healthy eating and the whole health of our young people, to promote their stewardship within the school environment and outside, to encourage social responsibility while they’re here as our students and beyond.”

Photos from the event are posted here.