Schools Plus, a 20-year-old organization once known primarily for its annual telethon that generated heaps of money for music, athletic and art programs in Santa Rosa City Schools is back. Well, they never went away, but the telethon died in 2008 and with it went much of the exposure for the non-profit group.

In the face of deep budget cuts and a struggling California economy, the group has re-emerged with a new website (they are even on Facebook!) and a higher profile push for support. Backers hope locals will give to the group despite the emergence of individual fundraising groups for nearly every campus in the city.

The new website is at www.schoolsplus.org and you can friend the group on Facebook (they had five friends as of Friday night...I'll check back later to see how they are doing).

Since 1991, the group has raised more than $2 million to restore and maintain programs that would have fallen victim to budget cuts. Meantime, the Schools Plus endowment has steadily grown year after year thanks in large part to a successful golf tournament.

Giving the group some of its renewed energy is John Bribiescas, a now-retired English teacher from Santa Rosa High. Bribiescas left the classroom in May but is spearheading the Schools Plus push.