Much of her adult like has been devoted to the cause of education children.

But the organization is much larger now than one person.

Devoted staffers put extra effort into their work without the benefit of extra pay. And dedicated volunteers serve as members of the board of directors, giving of their time and, very often, of their money, in support of a cause they believe will raise the quality of life for everyone in eastern Wake County.

The organization took a big step this year in ensuring its permanency with the decision to purchase the office space it has rented for many years.

That purchase, along with the expansion in physical space that came with it, will give the Education Foundation a real foundation of its own.

We've written in this space before about the advantages of ownership for the Education Foundation. Those advantages - redesigning space, increased programming and a better cash flow - are as important now as they were when the idea was under consideration.

On Thursday, foundation supporters gathered to celebrate the purchase at an open house which gave visitors a chance to see how the new configuration can benefit the students and families it serves.

If you haven't been an active supporter of the East Wake Education Foundation, now is a great time to get on the bandwagon. With the purchase of the building, new opportunities arise regularly and there is certainly a place for you.

As the current crop of volunteers can attest, the work that takes place inside those walls helps everyone from east of the Neuse River to Five County Stadium.

Including you.