Shop For Schools

Here's your chance to support local schools while sneaking in a bit of shopping.

Downtown businesses on Thursday will donate 10 percent of their sales to the Livermore Valley Education Foundation.

The donations will be used to support athletic, arts and academic programs in the , said Genevieve Getman-Sowa, LVEF board director.

"The partnerships between local business owners and the local education foundation is critical for having programs in our schools succeed," Getman-Sowa said.

Sherri Swanson, who owns , was one of a core group of downtown merchants looking to find a way to support area schools.

The merchants decided on dedicating a portion of their sales on the first and third Thursdays of each month to local education.

"We feel supported by the community and we definitely wanted to give back," Swanson said. "We thought if we blended together as a group we would be able to give more back and make a bigger impact."

The group of about 20 downtown merchants launched the fundraiser in March. Monthly proceeds were given to a campus selected by the school district.

The summer months are dedicated to supporting the education foundation.

Note that customers must mention they are shopping for the education foundation in order to participate in the fundraiser.

Here's a list and hours of operation of the downtown merchants participating in Thursday's program:

10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Artistic Edge
12 - 7 p.m.

11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

12 - 6 p.m.

Greenleaf BBQ
10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m

8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Uptown Girls Salon & Boutique
9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.