Nearly 1,500 guests are expected at the 16th annual 50 Men Who Can Cook fundraiser that benefits the College Station ISD education foundation.
One of CSISD’s newest board members, Heather Simmen, brought up during the January board meeting about the participation of board president Jeff Horak.
One of the 59 cooking teams includes CSISD’s new superintendent, Tim Harkrider.
Each celebrity chef provides eight hundred/two ounce servings for guests to sample.
Click below to hear comments from the January 23, 2024 College Station ISD school board meeting.
News release from the College Station ISD education foundation:
50 Men Who Can Cook Sizzles for CSISD
College Station, TX — It’s really 134 men who plan to cook, but that doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily! Nearly 1,500 guests are expected at the 16th annual 50 Men Who Can Cook. The celebration is Friday, February 2, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Brazos County Expo Complex. The adult-only event benefits the College Station ISD Education Foundation which supports all nineteen CSISD campuses.
The celebrity chefs, who comprise 59 amateur cooking teams, include teachers and administrators representing every CSISD campus, local news teams, bankers, doctors, dentists, engineers, firefighters, police officers, CSISD parents, and more. Guests can sample everything from appetizers and entrées to soups and desserts.
“We are deeply thankful for the thousands of people that support CSISD through this event — celebrity chefs, sponsors, donors, vendors, volunteers, board members and attendees,” said CSISD Education Foundation Executive Director Teresa Benden. “It is a monumental effort and we are so grateful for the community’s support of our local public schools.”
St. Joseph Health is the Top Chef Sponsor for the 6th year. “It’s so important to invest in our local schools,” said Kelly Wood, St. Joseph Health Marketing Manager, and Education Foundation board member. “We’re proud to support the CSISD Education Foundation.”
Featured this year is an inflatable Plinko booth where guests can throw balls to win tickets to enter into up to three drawings: a $1,000 H-E-B Gift Card; a $500 Pride Cleaners Gift Card & a JWR Sports Coat; or Whataburger for a Year.
A raffle consisting of two $5,000 shopping sprees at David Gardner’s Jewelers is also a popular item. A chance to win costs just $100 per raffle ticket and only 250 will be sold.
Proceeds from sponsorships, ticket sales, silent auction, mystery bags, and raffle tickets will fund impactful classroom projects, student scholarships, Senior Hall of Fame recognition, Chrissy’s Closet, staff awards, and other educational programs.
This year’s event chairman is CSISD Education Foundation Board Member Mike Newkham. “50 Men Who Can Cook is a fun event that brings together the entire community to help raise funds for our students and teachers,” Newkham said. “We are proud to host this event for the community.”
Established in 1999, the College Station ISD Education Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. 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 partner with the community to provide resources that inspire learning, enhance opportunities, and recognize the successes of students and teachers.
For more information, please visit givetokids.csisd.org or follow social media. Contact Teresa Benden, CSISD EF Director, at 979-694-5615 or tbenden@csisd.org.