ALDINE – The Aldine Education Foundation proudly hosted its sold-out M.B. “Sonny” Donaldson Golf Tournament at Tour 18 in Humble, Texas on Thursday, October 26. This well-attended event served as a vital fundraiser, generating much-needed support for Aldine Independent School District (AISD) student scholarships and educator grants.
Former Aldine ISD Superintendent and the event’s namesake, M.B. Sonny Donaldson, played a crucial role in welcoming Title Sponsor GFL Environmental, along with a multitude of returning and new sponsors. The M.B. “Sonny” Donaldson Golf Tournament has a storied history of supporting educational opportunities for Aldine ISD students, with this year’s contributions pushing the total raised to over $725,000.
A unique aspect of this year’s tournament was the presentation of one-of-a-kind art pieces, professionally framed, created by budding AISD artists from Cypresswood Elementary. These students were skillfully guided by Kaileigh Newman, Director of Visual Arts, and Yvonne Lopez-Taylor, the 20-21 Region 4 Elementary Teacher of the Year.
Innovating to enhance fundraising efforts, a fabulous online silent auction was introduced, elegantly displayed in the dining room. The auction featured an array of unique items, such as “Whataburger for a year,” a week-long retreat in a secluded and beautiful Kalispell, Montana home, a personalized guided tour of the Texas State Capitol by State Representative Armando Walle, and a host of other enticing offerings. Impressively, this inaugural auction raised nearly $10,000, setting a high bar for future endeavors.
A key highlight of the event was the warm welcome and introductions by Craig Brast, President of the Aldine Education Foundation. He also took the opportunity to introduce fellow board members and express appreciation for all supporters. Superintendent Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney acknowledged the foundation’s relentless efforts in raising funds for Aldine ISD, discussed the upcoming bond election, and extended gratitude to the sponsors for their invaluable contributions.
The Golf Tournament Leadership Team, comprised of Bob Beasley, Craig Brast, Sidney Brewer, Jana Gonzales, Judy Hoya, Pastor David L. Smith, Lynette Sealy, and Mike Sosa, revealed this year’s winners and distributed special awards, adding to the excitement of the day. Linda Flores Olson, Director of the Aldine Education Foundation, expressed her delight with the event, stating, “It is heartwarming to witness the unwavering support of our community for the young leaders of Aldine ISD.”
Special thanks to our Title Sponsor GFL; Diamond Sponsor, Platinum Sponsors Beasley Tire Services Inc., Caldwell Brokerage Company and Stanton Engineering Group; Gold Sponsors AUTOARCH Architects, BMG Money, Comcast, Jostens, Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc.
Thompson & Horton and Xerox; Exclusive Breakfast Sponsor Stantec; Exclusive Lunch Sponsor Robinson-Barrett Insurance Services; Silver Sponsors Arete Public Affairs, Automated Logic, Cabrera Capital Markets, Cantu Harden Montoya LLP, Centegix, Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc., Grand Canyon Education, Inc., Imagine Learning/ Edgenuity, Jefferies, Mesirow.
MWA Architects, Olivier Incorporated, Piper Sandler & Co., Raba Kistner, Huntington and Wells Fargo Securities; Snack Sponsors Extreme Networks and Kay Davis Associates, and Special Sponsors – Beverage Cart Sponsor – Swift, Driving Range Sponsor – Velocity Business Products; Putting Green Sponsor – Velocity Business Products, Closest to the Pin – Richard Cantu Campaign; Score Card – Robert Half and Hole in One – JP Morgan; Hole Sponsors Capturing Kids’ Hearts , Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc., Game One, Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC, Smith & Company Architects, Stifel, Tarkett, United Airlines and Willis Towers Watson.
Thank you also to our Aldine ISD Schools and Department Hole Sponsors – Hinojosa EC/PK/K, Kujawa EC/PK/K, Escamilla Elementary, Goodman Elementary, Smith Elementary, Houston Academy, Worsham Elementary, Cypresswood Elementary, Kujawa Elementary, Black Elementary, Dunn Elementary, Garcia Middle School, Teague Middle School, Blanson CTE High School, Aldine High School, MacArthur High School, Carver High School, Hall Success Academy , Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney, AISD Superintendent.
For more information or to support the Aldine Education Foundation’s mission, please visit http://aldineeducationfoundation.org/ or contact lfolson@aldineisd.org.
About Aldine Education Foundation: The mission of Aldine Education Foundation is to provide community-based support to the Aldine Independent School District in pursuit of excellence in teaching, innovation in the classroom, and superior learning opportunities for all students.