Mardi Gras tickets limited

Only 160 tickets are available for the upcoming Mardi Gras in October, an event that helps the Port Aransas Education Foundation (PAEF) raise money to supply tangible benefits for island schools and their students.

The event, scheduled for 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, at the Port Aransas Civic Center, is PAEF's biggest fundraiser of the year.

PAEF officials are urging the public to buy tickets by Tuesday, Sept. 30. If any tickets are left over after Sept. 30, they'll be sold at the door, officials said. But there is no guarantee any tickets will be left after Sept. 30.

Mardi Gras in October will include a shrimp boil, drawings, silent auctions and live music by Alias Hart and Jones, who are donating their time.

All 24 reserved tables for guests have been sold out. However, tickets for individuals are available for $35 each at First American Title, 200 S. Alister St., Suite B; Whitten Real Estate, 136 Cut-off Road; and the Family Center IGA, 416 S. Alister St. Ticket prices are the same for adults and children.

Port Aransas High School cheerleaders will provide babysitting at the Port Aransas High School gym, where activities will include face painting and Cuddles the Clown. Cost of babysitting is $35 for the first child, then $10 for each additional sibling. Money raised by babysitting will benefit the cheerleaders' organization.

Formed in 2006, PAEF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising money to award grants to Port Aransas schools for educationally enriching programs and items not funded in school budgets.

In the latest round of grants, conducted in April, PAEF awarded schools with 29 grants totaling more than $48,000. That paid for teacher training, computer equipment and software, educational field trips, library books and more.

At H.G. Olsen Elementary School, students are benefiting from a $2,500 grant that bought new musical instruments for teacher Gay DeMontel's classroom.

PAEF is asking Port Aransas individuals, organizations and businesses to donate cash and items for Mardi Gras silent auctions and drawings.

Folks interested in donating should contact PAEF President Janice Roberts at 749-7126.

This year's Mardi Gras in October is sponsored by the Clark family of Port Aransas and Mark Grosse Real Estate.