On Saturday, October 21st, the Brownwood Education Foundation (BEF) hosted its annual Lion’s Pride fundraiser at the Lyric Theatre. Center Avenue in downtown Brownwood was filled with jazz music, the scent of freshly grilled lamb kabobs and veggie skewers, and an entire community focused on supporting excellence in Brownwood Independent School District (BISD) classrooms. During the event, comedy magician Andy Gross performed, and a live auction raised thousands of dollars for BISD teachers and students. “The BEF has this annual fundraiser to fund a good amount of our giving back to BISD throughout the year,” said BEF Executive Coordinator Danielle Rosborough. “Classroom grants to teachers, student scholarships, small ‘thank you’ items to reward teachers — these are just part of what the foundation funds to give back to our district. The magician was an incredible entertainer. He was a great way for BEF to show appreciation to our attendees who gave back to our teachers and students by buying tickets, bidding on auction items, and giving extra donations even after the night was over.”

BEF consists of a board of twelve local professionals who are passionate about the growth of BISD, its teachers, and students. They coordinated efforts to gather auction items like a trip to Estes Park, a Shrimp Boil, local restaurant dinner packages, and more. The Foundation recognizes an Alumni, and this year selected Dr. Jeremy Denning. Wright Asphalt was the presenting sponsor for the evening, as Texas Bank sponsored the beverages, and Texas Clean sponsored the entertainment. This year’s theme of “1883” celebrated the 140 years BISD has been in operation.

“BISD does incredible things for our children, teachers, and parents of children; however, many times they are only able to go so far with fundraising or sponsorships,” Rosborough said. “BEF accepts gifts which in turn directly impact the classrooms. BEF provides opportunities for individual and collective growth with the materials purchased. Every small and large gift reaches generations into the future of BISD and the growth of our campuses. When we are able to fulfill needs due to generous gifts, we are able to build more purpose and vision in student’s lives – help them see where they are going and what they will be doing in their lives.”

For more information on participating in BEF activity or supporting their efforts to create excellence in BISD classrooms, visit https://www.supportbisd.com.