Founding Donor Dinner Nets Large Contributions

The Flour Bluff ISD Foundation for Educational Excellence, Inc., held their Founding Donor Dinner on April 2, 2005 at the American Bank Center Ballroom with over 350 in attendance. Guests were treated to entertainment provided by the Flour Bluff High School award winning choir and band and the 8th time National Navy Champions NJROTC.

Miles Graham, president of the foundation and Julie Carbajal, superintendent of schools addressed the audience on building and developing the foundation citing programs the money would be used for such as student enrichment, teacher grants for classroom supplies and continued training. Shirley Thornton, Flour Bluff Junior High School teacher and Paul Geffert, Flour Bluff High School senior also addressed the audience on the benefits of the foundation and giving their support for the foundation.

Glenn and Crystal Lyons along with their son Jason who attends Flour Bluff High School, pledged $10,000 to the foundation and made a challenge to the audience that they would double their pledge if anyone would meet their donation that evening. James and Regina Stevenson and Gene and Lee Graham took that challenge and also pledged $10,000 each.

According to Miles Graham, President of the Foundation, over $51,000 has been raised toward the Foundation goal of $300,000 by August 2, 2005. “We are working very hard to meet that goal. We have a board of directors and steering committee who are working diligently to get the information out to the community about the foundation.”

The Founding Donor Dinner ended with a telephone call broadcasted to the audience from Flour Bluff Alumni Lou Diamond Phillips who was filming on location. Lou Diamond Phillips pledged his support to the foundation. He also invited everyone to a reception at Flour Bluff High School on Sunday, April 3 to visit with him about the foundation. According to Phillips, “I had some wonderful teachers at Flour Bluff High School who helped me get my start with a great education and I want to do what I can to help support this excellent opportunity for future Flour Bluff students.”