On the Peninsula, education fund-raisers always fly first-class.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BAKE SALES?: Like other community educational groups, the Peninsula Education Foundation, which donates money to the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, is trying to raise money.

And like other groups, the foundation decided to have a raffle.

Only this is the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The big prize in the “Ticket to Excellence” drawing is not the predictable television set: It’s a dream vacation for two to Australia and the South Pacific.

The grand prize winner will “experience” Air New Zealand’s service on a round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, spend three nights in the new, five-star ANA Hotel near Sydney Harbor and then fly round trip to Hamilton Island--only a leisurely cruise away to the Great Barrier Reef. There, the winner and guest may relax for three nights in the premiere room of the Hamilton Towers hotel.

For the 1993-94 school year, the foundation donated $450,000 for classroom aides, computer education specialists, library aides, writing tutors, math mentors, substance abuse prevention counseling and a college and career information center. Proceeds from the raffle will go for similar purposes.

Tickets are $10 each or $50 for a book of six; the drawing will be held Jan. 23.

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RABBIT, RUN: If you’re looking for an alternative to the South Bay’s congested freeways, hop on board the “Rabbit Transit,” a new commuter shuttle bus service operated by the Metropolitan Transit Authority.

The shuttles, 22-passenger minibuses, begin daily service on Monday and will run a 23-mile route from Westchester to El Segundo, making about 42 stops, including several at Los Angeles International Airport.

James Cragin, an MTA board member and Gardena councilman, said the shuttle service will especially benefit several major aerospace companies in the area such as McDonnell Douglas, Hughes and Northrop.

Several employers have already indicated their willingness to use the service and a few companies will reimburse workers who ride the buses, Cragin noted.

The shuttle service is part of an 18-month pilot project at MTA. If successful, the service could expand to other South Bay areas.

“We hope the bunny system multiplies,” Cragin said.

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REWARD DOUBLED: The reward for the arrest and conviction of the gunman who killed Manhattan Beach Police Officer Martin Ganz doubled last week to $100,000.

Frustrated that previous reward offers yielded no suspects in the Dec. 27 shooting, an anonymous donor, who had previously pledged $25,000, agreed to add $10,000 to the reward fund. The Manhattan Beach Police Officers Assn. has donated $15,000 and the City Council has put up $50,000.

“I understand they are getting 20 to 30 calls for the trust fund a day,” said City Manager Bill Smith. “And more money is continuing to come in.”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“I’m not trying to say Rolling Hills is a bad place. But it’s not the real world. It’s insulated, it’s got the security.”

--Susan Brooks, Rancho Palos Verdes mayor and congressional candidate, criticizing Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina del Rey) for seeking a multimillion-dollar estate in Rolling Hills.

LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS

Los Angeles: The City Council shelved a proposal to drop its lawsuit against the Port of Long Beach over environmental cleanup of adjacent waterfront property. The council took the action after its attorneys and the Port of Long Beach were unable to settle the case.

San Pedro: The Los Angeles City Council postponed a decision for 60 days on instituting a new property assessment on businesses located in downtown San Pedro. The assessment, to finance public works improvements, would affect businesses in an area generally bounded by Harbor Boulevard, Pacific Avenue, 3rd and 10th streets.