60th ANNIVERSARY UNITES SCHOOL, RAISES CASH
PORTLAND - Januray 10, 2008 - About 280 alumni, staff, current families, board members and friends gathered to celebrate Tucker-Maxon’s 60th anniversary at the Portland Airport Holiday Inn on October 20, raising $93,000 in the process.
Replacing Derby Day as Tucker-Maxon’s major fundraising event for 2007, the 60th Anniversary Celebration dinner featured speeches by alumnae and an alumna parent/emeritus board member, a special appeal by a current Tucker-Maxon family, as well as live and silent auctions. Over 35 alumni, some of whom traveled from as far away as Arizona, attended weekend festivities, which included a casual evening gathering and an open house in addition to the dinner.
“Our main goals with this event were reconnecting with alumni and showcasing our history for current families and friends who may not know much about it,” noted Laura Sanders, director of development. “Our initial fundraising goal was simply to cover our costs. The fact that we raised an additional $73,000 shows how much this school means to our graduates and to their families. It was such a thrill to meet them and learn about the ways Tucker-Maxon has shaped their lives.”
Emcee Tony Martinez introduced Michaela and Joshua Malos, siblings with hearing loss who currently attend Tucker-Maxon; they spoke about the role of the school in their lives. These students are part of a generation that has benefited from early detection of hearing loss in newborns and cochlear implant technology. They asked the audience to help raise scholarship funds during the special appeal, which brought in over $21,000.
During the celebration, alumnae Suzy (Rodway) Fairweather and Ginny (Burt) Kimbro spoke about their experiences as students and oral deaf adults. Comparing the sometimes complicated amplification devices that students of past generations had to wear to the personal connections she formed at Tucker-Maxon, Fairweather said, “All the wires, cords and bonds that TMOS is remembered for turned into pathways. Pathways to language, pathways to people, pathways to possibilities. Each and every one connects what [Tucker-Maxon’s 60 years] mean to me: confidence that I can travel any path, on my own.”
Peter Williams, emeritus board member and former Tucker-Maxon parent, read a letter about the school’s success. He said he would like to be able to give the letter to school founder Paul Boley, who died in the nineteen eighties. As with Suzy’s speech, some in the audience were moved to tears by his description of the early days at the school and the pioneering spirit that kept the school going during difficult times.
Former executive director Wallace Bruce spoke via video about the dedication of the formidable Hattie Harrell. Former executive director Pat Stone also recorded a video taped message to welcome alumni and commend the school on decades of success.
During the event, Sharon Higgins, Tucker-Maxon board member and executive medical director for Kaiser Permanente Northwest ,and Sue Hennessy, vice president of health plan services, presented a check for $15,000 from Kaiser Permanente to Steve Noyce, executive director, and Ruth Morton, board president, to help cover scholarships for children who are deaf.
Live auction bidders competed for stays in vacation homes from Sunriver, Oregon, to Puerto Vallarta, and for art projects made by Tucker-Maxon classes. Inspired by the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr, the Primary 2 class filled a shadow box with handmade origami cranes that each contained a personal wish for world peace. This piece brought in $4,000, and the live auction raised over $12,000 total.
Stoel Rives, Spirit Mountain Casino, Advanced Bionics, Oticon, Phonak and LightSPEED provided corporate sponsorship.
The Tucker-Maxon Oral School was founded in 1947 by Paul Boley and five Portland families who dreamed of giving their deaf children the gift of speech. Today Tucker-Maxon educates students with hearing loss and students with typical hearing together in small, collaborative classrooms.
Board President Ruth Morton holds her bidder number at the 60th Anniversary Celebration auction. Detailed coverage of the 60th Anniversary Celebration will be availabe in the Spring issue of Now You're Talking.