Celebrating our 20th year at the 2022 MEF Gala Hops & Vino Festival

Celebrating our 20th year at the 2022 MEF Gala Hops & Vino Festival

The Merrillville Education Foundation hosted the Hops and Vino Festival at Avalon Manor on May 27, 2022, to celebrate our 20th year of existence. It was a great evening and everyone enjoyed themselves, plus we raised funds to continue our mission!

Please check out our list of 2022 MEF Gala Sponsors and enjoy the photo gallery below.

 

2022 MEF Gala Sponsors
Many thanks to our sponsors of our 2022 MEF Gala! With your support, the Foundation continues to provide unique and valuable education opportunities for Merrillville students.

9720 Barbershop and Spa
Albanese Confectionery
Andrew Draper – Prudential Financial
Annette and Joe Allegretti
Asparagus Restaurant
Barb Orelup
Big Daddy BBQ
BJ Brewhouse
Chicagoland Popcorn of Merrillville
Chick-fil-A of Merrillville
Chris and Lori Govert
Ciao Bella Restaurant
Clifford Pierce Middle School
Custom Data Services – Chris Govert, Adam Mylnarcik, Adam Pardune
Dave Barrick – Coldwell Realty
Dorine Lumbarski
Fieler Elementary School
Gail Nicolini

Gino’s Restaurant
Gorgeous Glow Aesthetics
Greg Bosak
Iddings Elementary School
Innsbrook Country Club
John Wood Elementary School
Joy Kent
Kathy Martin
Kim and Steve Coppolillo
McMahon & Associates, CPA’s, P.C.
Major Saver
Marissa and Scott Smoljan
Mary Hoffman
Maxim’s Restaurant
Merrillville High School
Merrillville High School Athletic Department
Merrillville Intermediate School
Mike and Micky Zolfo – The Yoga Room

Mike Hadt – Oak Investments
Miller Elementary School
Nancy Draper
Net Par
Nick and MaryBeth Brown
Nicole Clark
Piccolo Sogno Restaurant
Planet Fitness of Merrillville
Salk Elementary School
Sky Zone
State of Mind Salon and Day Spa
Terrell and Marnita Taylor
The Exercise Coach-TJ Lux and Trainer Ashley
Turkey Creek Country Club
Up Your Alley
Walmart of Schererville
Wise Guys
Youche Country Club
Zig-E’s Funland

Other Media Galleries

2019 MEF Walk-A-Thon Photo Gallery

The Merrillville Education Foundation sponsored its 3rd Annual Walk-A-Thon on October 12, 2019, at the Merrillville High School Field House. It was a tremendous success! 2019 Walk-a-Thon Media GalleryOther Media Galleries

2018 MEF Walk-A-Thon Photo Gallery

The Merrillville Education Foundation sponsored its 2nd Annual Walk-A-Thon on October 6, 2018, at the Merrillville High School Field House. It was a tremendous success! Other Media Galleries

2017 Walk-A-Thon Photo Gallery

The Merrillville Education Foundation sponsored its first Walk-A-Thon on a beautiful Saturday morning on September 16, 2017. A million thanks to all who came out to participate! We had nearly 100 participants, and it was a tremendous success. Everyone got...

Join us at the 2022 MEF Gala Hops & Vino Festival as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary!

The Merrillville Education Foundation is proud to announce that we are celebrating our 20th anniversary at our spring Gala, “Hops and Vino Festival” on Friday, May 27, 2022, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville for adults 21 and over. The evening is filled with gourmet food stations, exceptional beer, wine, and bourbon tasting, basket raffles and friendly fellowship in a relaxing atmosphere of fun and music.

Tickets are only $40 per person and can be purchased at any Merrillville School Office or securely online through Give Lively at the following link: https://secure.givelively.org/event/merrillville-education-foundation-inc/hops-and-vino-festival-2022.

The mission of the Merrillville Education Foundation is to be the primary private sector partner in supporting public education in Merrillville. Grants provided by the MEF offer resources that are not available through public education funding. Over the past 20 years, we have funded over 450 grants totaling over $389,000. These grants have impacted over 123,000 students in the Merrillville schools from kindergarten through high school. The grants are chosen based on their innovative approach and their educational contribution. By attending the Hops and Vino Festival, you will help us continue this mission for many more years to come.

If you cannot attend, but would still like to support the MEF, you can make a contribution at the Give Lively link or on our website through PayPal at merrillvilleeducationfoundation.org.

Download the printable MEF Gala flyer…

Register Now! 4th Annual MEF Walk-A-Thon set for October 9

The Merrillville Education Foundation invites you to participate in our 4th Annual MEF Walk-a-Thon fundraiser on Saturday, October 9, 2021! Participants in the “Better Health, Better Minds” event will be walking at Merrillville High School to raise funds for MEF teacher grants.

DOWNLOAD YOUR REGISTRATION FORM HERE and join us for a day of prizes, food, exercise and fun, while supporting new education opportunities for Merrillville Community School students.

MEF Walk-a-Thon Details:

2021 Sponsorship Opportunities

We are asking for help from community businesses and school patrons to partner with us in this worthwhile endeavor. Please consider contributing in one or more ways to help our cause.

To view suggested sponsorship opportunities, CLICK/TAP HERE for our information letter. We also need gift cards/gift certificates for Walk-a-Thon participant prizes.

Thank you for joining many others in going the extra mile in support of our students, our schools, and our community. Your financial support at whatever level you choose will be greatly appreciated!

  • Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and walking will begin at 9:00 a.m.
  • Location of the walk will be at the Merrillville High School Soccer/Track & Field Area (east of the football stadium). In case of rain, we will walk in the MHS Field House.
  • Minimum participation donation is $10.00 for ages 5 and up.
  • EVERY participant must submit a signed event disclaimer in order to walk in the event.
  • Participants are asked to walk one mile, but can choose to walk more if they wish.
  • T-shirts for ages 5 years and older will be given to each participant who raises/brings in at least $20.00 in sponsorship donations and submits the registration form and donations to your school’s office by Thursday, September 23, 2021. Late registration and additional funding may be turned in on the day of the event, but no T-shirt can be guaranteed. Additional T-shirts will be available to purchase on Saturday, October 9th, while supplies last.
  • Participants will receive one raffle ticket for a chance to win a door prize on the event day. The raffle ticket will be given at the time of registration on October 9th.
  • If you raise $100 or more, you are guaranteed a prize! The student who raises the most money will get first choice of the available prizes.
  • This is a family-friendly event open to EVERYONE in the community. Please join us! However, if you are unable to participate, please consider making a donation to MEF.
  • Sponsorship Opportunities: We are asking help from community businesses and school patrons to partner with us in this worthwhile endeavor.  Suggested sponsorship opportunities can be found in our information letterWe also need gift cards/gift certificates for prizes.  Please consider contributing in one or more ways to help our cause.  Thank you for joining many others in going the extra mile in support of our students, our schools, and our community. Your financial support at whatever level you choose will be greatly appreciated!


We hope that this will continue to be a huge community event so we can continue to provide impactful grants that enhance our students’ learning experiences. Teacher grants are awarded semi-annually by the Foundation.

Register Now! 3rd Annual MEF Walk-A-Thon set for October 12

The Merrillville Education Foundation invites you to participate in our 3rd Annual MEF Walk-a-Thon fundraiser on Saturday, October 12, 2019! Participants in the “Better Health, Better Minds” event will be walking at Merrillville High School to raise funds for MEF teacher grants.

DOWNLOAD YOUR REGISTRATION FORM HERE and join us for a day of prizes, food, exercise and fun, while supporting new education opportunities for Merrillville Community School students.

MEF Walk-a-Thon Details:

2019 Sponsorship Opportunities

We are asking for help from community businesses and school patrons to partner with us in this worthwhile endeavor. Please consider contributing in one or more ways to help our cause.

To view suggested sponsorship opportunities, CLICK/TAP HERE for our information letter. We also need gift cards/gift certificates for Walk-a-Thon participant prizes.

Thank you for joining many others in going the extra mile in support of our students, our schools, and our community. Your financial support at whatever level you choose will be greatly appreciated!

  • Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and walking will begin at 9:00 a.m.
  • Location of the walk will be at the Merrillville High School Soccer/Track & Field Area (east of the football stadium). In case of rain, we will walk in the MHS Field House.
  • Minimum participation donation is $10.00 for ages 5 and up. Families can participate as a group for a single fee of $30.00.
  • EVERY participant must submit a signed event disclaimer in order to walk in the event.
  • Participants are asked to walk one mile, but can choose to walk more if they wish.
  • T-shirts for ages 5 years and older will be given to each participant who raises/brings in at least $20.00 in sponsorship donations and submits the registration form and donations to your school’s office by Wednesday, September 25, 2019. Family groups who register for $30.00 by September 25, 2019, will only receive one t-shirt; however, additional t-shirts can be ordered for $10.00 each. Additional fundraising can be turned in on the day of the event, but no t-shirt can be guaranteed at that late date.
  • Participants will receive one raffle ticket for every $10.00 in donations to be used towards prize draws on the event day. Raffle tickets will be given at the time of registration on October 12.
  • This is a family-friendly event open to EVERYONE in the community. Please join us! However, if you are unable to participate, please consider making a donation to MEF.
  • Sponsorship Opportunities: We are asking help from community businesses and school patrons to partner with us in this worthwhile endeavor.  Suggested sponsorship opportunities can be found in our information letterWe also need gift cards/gift certificates for prizes.  Please consider contributing in one or more ways to help our cause.  Thank you for joining many others in going the extra mile in support of our students, our schools, and our community. Your financial support at whatever level you choose will be greatly appreciated!


We hope that this will continue to be a huge community event so we can continue to provide impactful grants that enhance our students’ learning experiences. Teacher grants are awarded semi-annually by the Foundation.

Register Now! 2nd Annual MEF Walk-A-Thon set for October 6

The Merrillville Education Foundation invites you to participate in our 2nd Annual MEF Walk-a-Thon fundraiser on Saturday, October 6, 2018! Participants in the “Better Health, Better Minds” event will be walking at Merrillville High School to raise funds for MEF teacher grants.

DOWNLOAD YOUR REGISTRATION FORM HERE and join us for a day of prizes, food, exercise and fun, while supporting new education opportunities for Merrillville Community School students.

MEF Walk-a-Thon Details:

2018 Sponsorship Opportunities

We are asking for help from community businesses and school patrons to partner with us in this worthwhile endeavor. Please consider contributing in one or more ways to help our cause.

To view suggested sponsorship opportunities, CLICK/TAP HERE for our information letter. We also need gift cards/gift certificates for Walk-a-Thon participant prizes.

Thank you for joining many others in going the extra mile in support of our students, our schools, and our community. Your financial support at whatever level you choose will be greatly appreciated!

  • Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and walking will begin at 9:00 a.m.
  • Location of the walk will be at the Merrillville High School Soccer/Track & Field Area (east of the football stadium).
  • Minimum participation donation is $10.00 for ages 5 and up. Families can participate as a group for a single fee of $30.00.
  • EVERY participant must submit a signed event disclaimer in order to walk in the event.
  • Participants are asked to walk one mile, but can choose to walk more if they wish.
  • T-shirts for ages 5 years and older will be given to each participant who raises/brings in at least $20.00 in sponsorship donations and submits the registration form and donations to your school’s office by Monday, September 17, 2018. Family groups who register for $30.00 by September 17, 2018, will only receive one t-shirt; however, additional t-shirts can be ordered for $10.00 each. Additional fundraising can be turned in on the day of the event, but no t-shirt can be guaranteed at that late date.
  • Participants will receive one raffle ticket for every $10.00 in donations to be used towards prize draws on the event day. Raffle tickets will be given at the time of registration on October 6.
  • This is a family-friendly event open to EVERYONE in the community. Please join us! However, if you are unable to participate, please consider making a donation to MEF.
  • Sponsorship Opportunities: We are asking help from community businesses and school patrons to partner with us in this worthwhile endeavor.  Suggested sponsorship opportunities can be found in our information letterWe also need gift cards/gift certificates for prizes.  Please consider contributing in one or more ways to help our cause.  Thank you for joining many others in going the extra mile in support of our students, our schools, and our community. Your financial support at whatever level you choose will be greatly appreciated!


We hope that this will continue to be a huge community event so we can continue to provide impactful grants that enhance our students’ learning experiences. Teacher grants are awarded semi-annually by the Foundation.

First ever MEF Walk-A-Thon set for September 16!

The Merrillville Education Foundation invites you to participate in our first ever MEF Walk-a-Thon fundraiser! Participants in the “Better Health, Better Minds” event will be walking at Merrillville High School on Saturday, September 16, 2017, to raise funds for MEF teacher grants.

DOWNLOAD YOUR REGISTRATION FORM HERE and join us for a day of prizes, food, exercise and fun, while supporting new education opportunities for Merrillville Community School students.

MEF Walk-a-Thon Details:

  • Sponsorship Opportunities

    We are asking for help from community businesses and school patrons to partner with us in this worthwhile endeavor. Please consider contributing in one or more ways to help our cause.

    To view suggested sponsorship opportunities, CLICK/TAP HERE for our information letter. We also need gift cards/gift certificates for Walk-a-Thon participant prizes.

    Thank you for joining many others in going the extra mile in support of our students, our schools, and our community. Your financial support at whatever level you choose will be greatly appreciated!

    Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and walking will begin at 9:00 a.m.

  • Location of the walk will be at the Merrillville High School Soccer/Track & Field Area (east of the football stadium).
  • Minimum participation donation is $10.00.
  • EVERY participant must submit a signed event disclaimer in order to walk in the event.
  • Participants are asked to walk one mile, but can choose to walk more if they wish.
  • T-shirts for ages 5 years and older will be given to each participant who raises/brings in at least $20.00 in sponsorship donations and submits the registration form and donations to your school’s office by Friday, September 1, 2017. Additional fundraising can be turned in on the day of the event, but no t-shirt can be guaranteed at that late date.
  • Participants will receive one raffle ticket for every $10.00 in donations to be used towards prize draws on the event day. Raffle tickets will be given at the time of registration on September 16.
  • This is a family-friendly event open to EVERYONE in the community. Please join us! However, if you are unable to participate, please consider making a donation to MEF.
  • Sponsorship Opportunities: We are asking help from community businesses and school patrons to partner with us in this worthwhile endeavor.  Suggested sponsorship opportunities can be found in our information letterWe also need gift cards/gift certificates for prizes.  Please consider contributing in one or more ways to help our cause.  Thank you for joining many others in going the extra mile in support of our students, our schools, and our community. Your financial support at whatever level you choose will be greatly appreciated!

We hope that this will be a huge community event so we can continue to provide impactful grants that enhance our students’ learning experiences. Teacher grants are awarded semi-annually by the Foundation.