ROBERTSDALE, Alabama --- In just its fourth year of operation, the Central Baldwin Education Foundation has come a long way.

Begun in 2008, the organization, which supports Robertsdale High School, the South Baldwin Center for Technology and their six feeder schools in Central Baldwin County, Robertsdale Elementary, Loxley Elementary, Silverhill Elementary, Rosinton Elementary, Elsanor Elementary and Central Baldwin Middle School, has grown from nine to 15 Board members in 2012.

Over the last four years, the Foundation has given $46,435 in block grants and teacher grants, including $8,000 in teacher grants for the 2011-12 school year from a total of 31 teacher requests.

The Foundation has also given a total of $14,000 in after school tutoring grants supporting RHS and CBMS over a two-year period.

Fundraisers supported by the Foundation include the third annual Honey Bee Race, rifle and barbecue raffles and the Fill the Bus campaign to provide school supplies to the schools.

The Foundation also introduced its new website, CBEF.org, which was created by students at RHS and presented its third, Teacher of the Year awards in 2011.

"Our main mission is to support our kids," said CBEF President Jamie Hardy. "We do that by supporting those whose job it is to educate our most precious resource, not just through money but by also given them our time. We have to be able to take a more active role in our children's education."

The Foundation held its first business community breakfast Thursday, Feb. 2 at the Baldwin County Board of Realtors building in Robertsdale.

Hardy began the program by introducing the Foundation's Board members and officers at the breakfast.

Officers for 2011 and 2012 are: Lenora Kendrick, vice president and incoming president for 2012; Sam Driver, treasurer; and Cheryl Pischek, secretary. Hardy also introduced Donna Gates, the first CBEF president.

Board members are Ann Ellison, Peggy Nelson, Kay Gartman, Greg Gipson, Lauren Sanders, Brenda Pierce, Jennifer Cook, Ashley Kucera, Patricia Campbell and Steve Williams.

Hardy also gave recognition to the principals of the various schools, Faye Sheppard, Robertsdale Elementary; De Ann Ramey, Loxley Elementary; Pamela Moorer, Silverhill Elementary; Susan Runnels, Elsanor Elementary; Dr. Theresa Harden, Rosinton Elementary; Chuck Anderson, CBMS; Kendall Mowdy, SBCT; and Craig Ross, RHS.

"We meet with the school's principals often to try and get an idea of how we can help them and more often than not they're asking how they can help us," Hardy said. "We need to foster this type of passion in the community when it comes to educating our children."

Baldwin County Schools Superintendent Dr. Alan Lee also talked to Foundation members about the use of the C.F. Taylor Building, which served all levels of students in Robertsdale until Robertsdale High School opened on a separate campus in 1992 and Central Baldwin Middle School opened two years later.

The building continued to serve the community as Robertsdale Elementary until the new facility opened its doors in 2008.

"When I came on board last year, we were using the building as one of our central offices and I made the decision that we didn't need it as a central office and that upset a lot of people," Lee said.

Lee said he wanted to assure the community and members of the Foundation that the building was being used, including a pair of alternative school programs for students with behavioral problems and another program geared toward chemical abuse prevention.

"I just wanted to assure you this building is being utilized for great things," he said, "and we've seen great success with these programs."

Thursday's program also included presentations by Jason Mann with the abstinence program offered through the Women's Care Medical Center; RES Principal Faye Sheppard spoke on the Honey Bee Race fundraiser; Chezley Neth spoke on the math tutoring program at CBMS; Peggy Nelson spoke on the Foundation's accomplishments and Cheryl Pischeck gave a PowerPoint presentation from the past year.

Hardy also thanked the businesses who have provided support for the Foundation over the years.

"Many of the people you see in this room have provided sponsorships for various fundraisers we've held through the years," he said, "and it's through their continued support that we are able to do what we do."