Horace Mann donation and endowment grants: Ashe County schools receive $5,000 and ongoing trust support
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Summary
A Horace Mann-associated gift of $5,000 and an earlier estate trust that will generate ongoing annual support were recognized at the meeting; the board approved endowment board grant recommendations tied to local fundraising including the district—s golf tournament.
At the Ashe County Schools board meeting, staff and community partners announced a $5,000 donation tied to a local trust and thanked volunteers who run the district—s annual back-to-school and endowment fundraising events.
A community representative explained that an estate trust established decades earlier eventually created a separate fund for Ashe County Schools; the trust is ‘‘not quite seven figures but close’’ and is expected to generate roughly $20,000–$25,000 a year for local grants. The speaker said the initial payout to the district this year is $5,000 and described plans to have school principals request how to use local endowment funds for school needs.
Board members also reviewed results of the most recent endowment golf tournament, thanked the volunteers and announced the board approved the endowment board—s grant recommendations. The consent agenda and the endowment grant recommendations were moved and seconded and the board recorded "motion carries" for those items.
Board members and staff said the community-run back-to-school blast distributes backpacks, shoes and supplies to students; staff noted last year Shoes for Kids provided about $40,000 of shoes in one day. Administrators emphasized the grants and donations are intended to support student opportunities such as coding, schoolwide reads, STEM nights and field trips.
The board approved the endowment board recommendations; staff will coordinate distribution of those grants through the endowment process.