By Lori EhdeDespite continued state funding cuts, Luverne Community Education programs remain strong.That was the essence of a report by Community Education Director Karen Willers to School Board members during a recent meeting.She said no new legislation was enacted for funding in 2004, so cuts from the 2003 session remained. To illustrate, state funding of $5.95 per capita funding for Community Ed and Summer Rec programs is now $5.23 — a 12-percent reduction.In Early Childhood Family Education, a 20-percent funding cut was felt this year. "The effect was that we held on to seven classes per week but cut four weeks of classes per year," Willers said. "We now have two 10-week sessions instead of four six-week sessions."Creative marketing and fund-raisingTo remain viable, Community Ed staff and volunteers have stepped up efforts in fund-raising and more marketing.Last year, an Eagles Club steak fry and Fall Fair raised more than $1,500.Willers said Community Ed is a valuable resource for local families, and she's working to get that message to the public."We offer such a wide variety of classes, from arts and humanities to health and safety," Willers said. "And we serve all ages, from infants to senior citizens."The Community Ed brochure, mailed to every home in the district, is one way to market those services.For the 2004-05 issues, 13 businesses advertised in the brochure, bringing in $4,100 to offset printing costs. Also, inserting the brochure in the Luverne Announcer saved $725 per year in postage.Increased feesTo offset funding cuts, fees are increasing.On average, fees charged per Community Ed Class have increased $2 to $3 per person enrolled to cover costs."We need money to pay for instructors, custodians, lights, heat," Willers said. "State funding to support Community Education doesn't even come close to covering salaries for staff and covering the program costs."To help out, grants from the Southwest Minnesota Foundation and Sioux Valley Energy helped start the Community Ed Opportunity Fund. It's a grant program available to offset fees to qualifying families.She added that many local instructors, knowing about funding woes, donate their services so that fees can go to the Opportunity Fund."We still want to make sure Community Ed classes are available to everyone," Willers said, "not just to those who can afford it."She said Community Ed has granted $3,833 since the fund started with $4,500 in June 2000.Numbers overviewLast year, Community Education served 4,775 people with a total of 238 classes, not counting ECFE or Discovery Time Preschool.In 2003-04, ECFE served 184 different parents and 199 children from birth to 5 years old. "That was 41 percent of the 0-4 census," Willers said. "Of those, fathers accounted for 23 percent of the parents."This year, she said five of seven classes are for children 3 years old and younger.School Readiness currently has 32 children enrolled between the morning and afternoon sections, Willers said. "Plus we do regular home visits for two families and provide periodic special events for families."She reported the FamilyU School Age Care Program has reached its maximum number of children in kindergarten through fifth grade — 35 enrolled in kindergarten through fifth grade.Fees charged for summer FamilyU have not been covering costs, but the budget is balanced, Willers said, "due to start-up grants along with almost immediate success of the program, which started in February 2001."She reported a higher number of adults enrolled in ESL-GED-ABE programs, and Community Ed provides child care while adults are in class, utilizing the ECFE classrooms.