FOXBORO - Teachers often find themselves inspired to try new things and launch innovative programs throughout the school year, but are limited by tight fiscal budgets, according to school committee Chairman Larry Harrington.

To address such needs, a group of local parents and school officials have established a foundation with an ambitious $250,000 fundraising goal for this year.

For a $100 raffle ticket, supporters of local education can win one of three $15,000 vacation trips or a three-year lease on a luxury car. FACES, a non-profit foundation, has been created to provide grant opportunities for teachers in the Foxboro Public Schools to enrich students educational experiences with new programs or activities that could not be funded in the regular school budget.

"There just isn't enough to go around for everybody," foundation president Judee Harrington said. "There's never enough for the extras, that we think are important for every student."

A grant might, for example, cover an Internet university course, a field trip, a classroom project, or any number of arts, music, drama, computer or other activities. The grants will be available for grades kindergarten through 12. "The whole purpose is to help the students and teachers achieve a higher level than we currently are now," Larry Harrington said.

"FACES" stands for "Foxborough: A Community Enriching Schools."

To achieve the $250,000 goal, FACES is raffling off four donated items - three vacations and a car lease.

Top prizes are three deluxe Marriott vacations, valued at $15,000 each, to Aruba, Hawaii, and Orlando-Disney World, as well as a 3-year prepaid lease on a Lexus SUV. Larry and Judee Harrington donated the four raffle prizes.

During a School Committee meeting in December, Larry Harrington announced the couple's plan to start an educational foundation. Since then, he said, the foundation was set up by a foundation committee comprising superintendent Chris Martes and assistant superintendent Debra Spinelli, James and Martha Slattery, Debbie Cunniff, Jim and Christine (Igo) Freeman, Michael and Angela Davis and Matthew and Diana Griffin.

The group has been meeting weekly since December.

The Foxboro Lions Club is sponsoring the raffle. The raffle tickets are on sale now and the prizes may be drawn at the June 14 gala event, which will be held in the Fidelity Clubhouse at Gillette Stadium. Each ticket will have a price of $100 and each raffle will have a maximum of 500 tickets.

Judee Harrington said the FACES gala event, with support from the New England Patriots and the Kraft family, will bring the community together; introduce the FACES mission to the public; and offer a live auction featuring one-of-a-kind items and opportunities including unique sports items and memorabilia, concert and theatre tickets, and more. In addition, food will be collected for the Foxboro Food Pantry.

The evening's festivities will include light hors d oeuvres, a cash bar, and live entertainment including the FHS jazz band and a special appearance by vocalist Renese King. Tickets will be available for this event at a cost of $25.

The foundation plans to hold a fundraiser event each year, and will have a booth on Founders Day to help sell the raffle tickets. Tickets may be purchased by contacting the following committee members: Judee or Larry Harrington, 508-543-5631; Debbie Cunniff, 508-698-3485; Martha Slattery, 508-543-3753.

Checks for the raffle are to be made payable to the Foxboro Lions Club.