February 21, 2025 – Rosenberg, Texas – The Lamar Educational Awards Foundation (LEAF) annual Men Who Cook fundraiser returned this past weekend – complete with a touch of Roaring 20s style – to raise funds that will support a range of teacher grants, scholarships, and enrichment opportunities impacting the staff and students of Lamar CISD. This year’s fundraiser topped the previous year by some $15,000 for an all-time high, raising approximately $205,000 in total.
Held Saturday, February 15, at Safari Texas Ranch’s Infinity Ballroom, the event featured approximately 60 “Celebrity Chefs” who each shared their special recipes with attendees and competed to be named winners in the “Bite of the Nite” contest. Live music and dancing, together with both live and silent auctions, rounded out the evening’s festivities. In addition to carefully crafted gift baskets and a range of specially donated items, the silent auction also featured student-crafted projects and furniture from the district’s high schools.
“Men Who Cook has a wonderful history, now reaching back more than two decades, of bringing members of the Lamar CISD community together for an evening of fun, food, and supporting our schools,” LEAF Executive Director Kameela Lewis said. “It’s one of our most highly anticipated annual fundraising galas, and we’re so grateful to everyone who came out to support the event, as well as our sponsors, foundation board members, and other volunteers who helped make it all happen.”
Presenting sponsors First Financial and PBK Architects headed up a list of more than 40 businesses and organizations whose support made this year’s Men Who Cook event possible. The generous live auction donations – including several VIP experiences – helped raise approximately $28,400.
A list of event sponsors can be found HERE.
“This year, LEAF celebrates 25 years of service to Lamar CISD, and we’re excited to continue that work well into the future as we grow together with the district,” Lewis said. “LEAF’s continued impact is a testament to the dedication of all our foundation board members who have given so much of their time and talent over the years on behalf of teachers, students, and the community. We’re so grateful for the work they do.”
To view a gallery of photos from the evening, click HERE.
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