USD 489 Dinner and Auction raises money for secure entrances at elementary schools

BY ISABELLE BRAUN
PHOTOS AND VIDEO BY GARY LI

The USD 489 Foundation for Educational Excellence was established in the early 1990s, and it works to make sure students in the district are receiving a quality education and provide support to staff. 

For the second year, the foundation organized the USD 489 Dinner and Auction that took place on Oct. 26 from 4:00 to 10:30 p.m.

“What we started last year was kind of a fundraiser to help supplement some of the funding for our schools, so the community can help fund some of those projects,” board president Curtis Brown said. “Last year we chose to help with funding the secured entrances at the schools.”

The board raised a little over $38,000, and Brown estimates around the same amount this year. Attendance was up about 50 guests to 250 from last year. The money will again go to securing entrances at USD 489 schools, this time focusing on the elementary schools throughout town.

Throughout the night, entertainment was provided for guests, beginning with the Hays High Chamber Singers and then continuing with Hondo drums until dinner, catered by Smoke & Co. The silent auction took place during dinner with between 250 and 275 items for people to bid on, and the live auction after with over 50 items. The night ended with a raffle with items including a $500 chamber check, a $5,000 cash prize and a car, to name a few.

“Everything was donated besides the car,” Brown said. “We partnered with Fort Hays Auto for the car. The live auction and the silent auction items were all donated by businesses in this community and surrounding communities.”

Brown hopes the security measures put in place by the school never have to be used, but said they should be there as a preventative measure.

“I think it’s (this issue) important just because of the climate we’re in,” Brown said. “We’ve seen other places where unfortunate things have happened. I think security and making sure our kids our safe, and in school should be a place where they feel safe and secure so they can learn, I think that’s just important.”

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