All funds from this event will go directly to the students of St. Mary's School for the Deaf (SMSD).  The event is fun, and features a live and silent auction.  Community Partner Awards Ceremony, and Keynote Speech.  We invite over 500 community partners and State and Local Officials to attend and/or sponsor this event.

SMSD has been serving a remarkably diverse population of deaf, hard of hearing, and special needs students aged 0-21 from all 8 counties and 57 school districts of Western NY since 1853.  It's mission is to provide equitable access to exemplary educational programs that prepare deaf students to be self-directed, lifelong learners, who are productive members of society.  To achieve this mission, they inspire ALL to achieve persoan goals and to strive for excellence, offer a rigorous, relevant and unique curriculum that addresses the diverse learning styles of all their students, and promises to collaborate as a community and with the community at large.  

As a 501 (c) 3 non-for-profit organization, SMSD relies solely on the generosity of it's community partnerships, donations, fundraisiing, and volunteering for funding.  The Foundation for Deaf Education (FDE) Was founded in 1997 to improve the quality of life of the students of SMSD by funding the programs and activities that are not covered by NY State legislative appropriation and to promote deaf awareness among the community and across Western NY.