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May 18, 2006

EEU to honor Dan Evans in festive annual fundraising auction

Members of the Education for All Committee in 1971, after then-Gov. Evans signed the bill making special education mandatory in Washington. Committee members, from left, are, from left, Janet Taggart, Katie Dolan, Cecile Lundquist, Dan Evans, Evelyn Chapman, George Breck and Bill Dussault (inset, from 1990).

Who’s up for dinner with author Sherman Alexie? Or maybe a week in London, or a 10-day cruise through the Caribbean? Such lofty experiences and more will be on the block when the UW’s Experimental Education Unit (EEU) holds its annual fundraising auction and dinner on May 20.

The EEU is the UW’s own public school, serving children ranging in age from birth to 7 years old, coming from all types of family backgrounds. The student population, currently at about 210, blends typically developing children with those who have developmental delays such as Downs syndrome, autism, language and motor delays or other needs. All EEU programs are provided at no charge to families.

Every year, the school finds a different theme for its festivities to help bring in donations to the EEU Endowment for Children with Disabilities, which supplements federal and local funding for the school’s daily operations. This year, organizers of the annual auction chose a Wizard of Oz-related theme, and have titled their evening, “Our Side of the Rainbow.”

The annual festivities also are an occasion to honor people who have helped make the EEU a success since its founding in 1960. This year, auction organizers have chosen to honor Dan Evans, former UW regent and Washington governor and senator, who in 1971 signed into law legislation making special education services mandatory in the state.

Also to be honored, in a dinner following the auction, will be members of the committee that vigorously advocated for the passage of this legislation. Members of this committee also were asked to help draft the first federal special education law, which later evolved into the Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. These committee members are Cecile Lundquist, Janet Taggart, Katie Dolan, Evelyn Chapman, George Breck and Bill Dussault.

The EEU’s Fifth Annual Fundraising Auction will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, at the school. For more information, call 206-543-4011, or visit online at www.depts.Washington.edu/eeuweb.