Golf outing raises $10,000 for South Fayette teacher grants

The South Fayette Foundation for Excellence, a nonprofit organization that serves South Fayette School District, raised $10,000 at its seventh annual golf outing July 23 at Southpointe Golf Club.
President Maureen Pedzwater, a former school district employee, said the golf outings and other fundraisers have raised more than $70,000 in the last seven years. More than 80 people golfed at the fundraiser.
“We’ve had people here who have been here all seven years,” she said. “We have such an outpouring from the community. Everybody does golf outings. So for us to continue to be so popular and have people coming back is heartwarming.”
The money goes to teacher applications for grants, as the four school buildings each get about $3,000 a year to spend on teacher grants.
“These are things that the teachers can’t afford through the budget,” she said. “They’re enhancements, things with the curriculum that are going to help the students and be long lasting. With technology changing so much, we’ve been able to provide a lot for the students.”
Pedzwater said the foundation decided to give the money to teacher grants because of the accessibility in the area and the need within the district.
“There are successful teacher grant programs all over,” she said. “We just saw the need. We knew it would benefit the students.”
Pedzwater said South Fayette Foundation, which was formed in 2008 amid financial concerns in the growing school district, used to do more, smaller fundraisers before starting the golf outing seven years ago.
“We were doing small fundraisers, and they just weren’t producing,” Pedzwater said. “Our superintendent at the time, Bille Rondinelli, said we were going to do a golf outing. I had never done a golf outing, but it’s all come together. … It’s been a very successful event.”
Pedzwater thanked the dozens of volunteers who helped run the event.
“We have the greatest group of volunteers,” she said. “They come in and do whatever they need to do to make it work.”