Big names highlight Charter School Authority Rally
Imagine getting Katy Perry to perform at your birthday party. The Cape Coral Charter School Authority was able to do something just about as awesome.
Country music performer Joe Nichols headlined the fourth-annual Charter Authority Rally at the German American Social Club on Sunday, which serves as the major fundraising event of the year for the Cape Coral Charter School system.
And he wasn’t the only big name to show up, there were eight equines who also drew a crowd.
The event was started four years ago to provide extra funding for the city’s four charter schools. The government does not provide funding for municipal charter schools the way it does for the district schools.
Events like this provide the money for projects, technology and equipment the schools need, as well as bringing the classrooms up to standard, according to Eric Feichthaler, who helped put on the event and who has four kids who attend the charter school system.
“We not only have performers like Joe Nichols, but a lot of them who are students who will perform on the Garden Stage,” Feichthaler said. “We don’t have a specific dollar goal in mind, the schools divide the money equally. If we raise $100,000, it’ll be a good day.”
Perhaps the only negative about the event was that the classic cars were forced to take a back seat to all the entertainment. Despite that, thanks to all the advance sales of tickets for the raffles and Chinese auction (the total amount in prizes was around $40,000), it was believed they reached the goal.
Jami DiMaria, who put the event together, said the concept of the rally was developed by former Oasis Elementary Principal Steven Hook.
“He put all four charter school together for one big fund-raiser. It’s gotten bigger and better every year,” DiMaria said. “It’s amazing to have so many of our school families and community come out to support us. The entertainment is definitely the highlight this year.”
DiMaria said they got Nichols through a foundation member who knew the country singer. They had worked for two years to get him.
“We were able to coordinate this year to have him attend and we’re so excited,” DiMaria said, who also enlisted the help of Gator Country 101.9FM to make it happen, which did a lot of advertising for the event on their behalf.
“Two Step” Terry of Gator Country said when the rally organizers reached out to him, the radio station was able to pull the strings to make it happen.
“He said he was going to be in the area and said he would do it. With our station being No. 1 in the market and such a large listening population, it was easy to do,” he said.
There wasn’t much down time on either of the stages. Beside Nichols, Shake, Rattle & Soul; Trezz Hombres, a ZZ Top tribute band; and the Ben Allen Band took to the main stage, as did local performers from Marantha Dance, Melody Lane Performing Arts Center and Dance Dimensions.
The Garden Stage featured students from the charter schools. The kids from the Oasis Middle School cheer camp, the cast of “Annie Jr.” from Oasis Elementary School, Nabbie’s Performing Art Studio, Chimneyfish, Gulf Elementary and the Oasis Singers also performed.
Samantha Richardson, whose daughter performed in Annie, was there to cheer her on, more interested in her performance than anything else.
“This is a great way to raise money for our charter schools and get everyone together for fun event. The raffle and Chinese auction are my favorite parts, and my daughter performing,” Richardson said. “We have pride in our school system being one big family and bringing in the community.”
Perhaps just as significant as Nichols’ performance, the full hitch of the Budweiser Clydesdales showed up and took some laps around the GASC grounds, pulling along the Budweiser wagon. Several hundred people watched and took pictures as the horses were unloaded out their trailer and hitched to the wagon.
Superintendent Nelson Stephenson said people like DiMaria and the countless volunteers from the charter school family made it such a successful event.
“We have prime talent all the way down. This is what’s all about, celebrating our system. You see by the turnout the enormity the city has within the city,” Stephenson said. “We do more with less and event like this is way we make it up.”