Cheers to 20 Years!

On March 1, 2025, the Cherokee Educational Foundation celebrated a milestone event with remarkable results. A new all time high amount was raised, an estimated $82,000 that can go directly back into the classroom creating opportunities for the kids at every grade level.

This event started in 2005 at the Country Club. About 75 people attended that year and $8660 was raised.  Three teacher requests were received that year, and all were funded. Fast forward to 2025, where the event now is held at the Little Sioux Event Center and has 200+ guests. In 2024, over 50 teacher requests were received, and all funded to some level. 

This year marked the 20th Anniversary of the Foundation’s annual Dinner and Auction. Throughout these 20 years, the names and faces of the Board have changed, but the basic mission remains the same. This Foundation currently has a 26 person volunteer governing board who work very hard to achieve 2 goals: 1. To create a fun adult night out with dinner and a silent and live auction, 2. To raise money at this event that is used to fulfill teacher requests from every level of Cherokee School Education. The foundational mission of this Board is to supply equipment, supplies, and opportunities for the Cherokee students not otherwise possible under the school budget. They are impressed every year with the opportunities presented by the teacher requests. 

The success for this event directly relates to the greater Cherokee community. All of the auction items for the event are donated by Cherokee community members who are willing to go the extra mile for our kids. A valuable addition this year was the contribution of the 3 banks in town. Each of the banks, Cherokee State Bank, Central Bank and State Savings Bank donated $2,500 toward the cost of this years dinner and event. This event would not be the success it is without the incredible community support received.

So, cheers to 20 years of hard work by this Foundation, 20 years of incredible community support, and 20 years of the ability to offer the best education to our kids!!!

There is still time to make a tax-deductible donation toward this Foundation that can be dedicated to new and important opportunities for the kids in the fall.  Donations can be mailed to the Cherokee Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 209, Cherokee, IA  51012. These donations are the building blocks used to fund the new opportunities found by our staff to produce a stronger Cherokee educational system for our kids. As one board member put it, “this is how we of the community can help to level the playing field between our schools and those of the larger districts in central and eastern Iowa – some day our kids will be competing with them and this is our chance to be part of the best preparation we know.”