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Community Corner

Achieve's Night of 100 Dinners Set for March 8

One of the Achieve Foundation's most beloved events, the Night of 100 Dinners, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The evening will be held March 8, 2014. Consider hosting an evening during this anniversary year or being a guest at one of the parties.

South Orange and Maplewood residents open their homes to dinner guests to raise money for Achieve's programs, which benefit children in all nine district schools. Are you too busy to host this year? If so, consider co-hosting with a friend or persuading someone else to host a party and invite you!

"We view the Night of 100 Dinners as a community-building event and would like to include as many parties as possible across our entire two towns," said Patricia Canning, co-chair of the event. "The Achieve Foundation's programs have become woven into the fabric of our school community, where teachers, parents and children can depend on support through the tutor program, teacher grants and projects that support state-of-the-art technology."

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Dinner guests are asked to donate $50 per person. Last year's event was the biggest yet, with a record number of gatherings and more than $62,000 donated to Achieve. Creative dinner themes included Downton Abbey, the Masterpiece drama set on an English country estate; dinner in an art studio; wine tastings; family affairs with children invited; and a feast of seven fishes.

"No party is too big or too small," said Lindsay Scott, co-chair of the event. "We hope you use the event simply as an excuse to gather with friends!"

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