The College Station ISD education foundation’s signature fundraiser, 50 Men Who Can Cook, returns Friday night (February 4, 2022) after being cancelled last year due to the pandemic.
Foundation director Teresa Benden says tickets are available through Friday at noon by going online to 50menwhocancook.org.
Click below for comments from Teresa Benden, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
News release from the College Station ISD education foundation:
It’s really 126 men that plan to cook, but that doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily! They’ll be ready for nearly 1,500 guests at the 14th annual 50 Men Who Can Cook. The celebration is Friday, February 4, from 6:30-9:30 pm at the Brazos County Expo Complex. The adult-only event benefits the College Station ISD Education Foundation which supports all nineteen CSISD campuses.
Proceeds from sponsorships, tickets sales, silent auction, mystery bags, and raffle tickets will fund exciting classroom projects, student scholarships, Senior Hall of Fame recognition, Chrissy’s Closet, staff awards, and other educational programs.
St. Joseph Health is the Top Chef Sponsor for the 4th year. “Our local school system is an integral part of this amazing community and supporting them is an important investment for us,” said Kelly Wood, St. Joseph Health Marketing Coordinator, and Education Foundation board member. “Ensuring that our students and educators are equipped with the tools they need to be their very best is a top priority. We’re proud to support the CSISD Education Foundation.”.
The celebrity chefs, who comprise 60 amateur cooking teams, include teachers and administrators representing every CSISD campus, local news teams, Texas A&M University leaders, bankers, doctors, dentists, engineers, firefighters, police officers, and more!
This year, the event features a raffle for one of two $5,000 shopping sprees at David Gardner’s Jewelers. A chance to win costs just $100 per raffle ticket and only 250 will be sold.
This year’s 50 Men Who Can Cook Chair and Vice-Chair are CSISD Education Foundation Board Members Staci Cocanougher and Mike Newkham. “50 Men Who Can Cook is a fun event that brings together leaders from across our community to help raise funds for our teachers and students,” Cocanougher said. “We’re grateful for everyone that works together to support CSISD schools.”
“50 Men Who Can Cook is one of those unique events that you can’t explain, you just have to experience it,” said CSISD Education Foundation Director Teresa Benden. “We are so thankful for our celebrity chefs who cook the food, sponsors who donate and volunteers who help it run smoothly. It is a group effort and we are so grateful for our community’s support of our local public schools.”
Established in 1999, the College Station ISD Education Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) public corporation. Tax-deductible gifts made to the foundation provide funds for opportunities above and beyond the normal operating budget of the school district which are not available through tax revenues. Its mission is to seek funds and award those funds to students and teachers to bring innovation and excellence to the classroom and to provide opportunities not available through general funding.