They donated to benefit the schools but now, Demopolis residents and businesses will be honored at the 10th Annual Appreciation Celebration hosted by the Demopolis City School Foundation.

“The luncheon is to thank donors for their generosity during the year,” Jan McDonald, executive member of the Board of Directors, said.

The celebration will be held July 21 and “strictly for members only,” McDonald said. The donors will be given plaques, certificates and other prizes.

“We will also review everything from this past fiscal year,” she said. “We will bring donors up to date on what has happened and what we plan to do next year.”

This past year, the Foundation held its usual fundraisers McDonald said.

The most successful of the fundraisers was School Fest, a city-wide, carnival-type event hosted by four of the city’s schools.

According to McDonald, the event raised over $22,000 for the foundation.

The foundation has also teamed with McDonald’s for pancake and sausage dinner fundraisers which occurred in September and mid-May.

Members of the foundation are also working on a school-supply bag sale. Parents have placed orders for the pre-filled sacks of much needed items.

Although the foundation does much fundraising, most of the money comes from the “generosity of members,” McDonald said.

She said the foundation has over $84,000 that is donated from its 240 members.

In the future, the foundation has plans to create “Tiger Court,” an engraved court on thee north side of the Demopolis High School gymnasium. McDonald also said that she couldn’t imagine the group dropping or adding any new fundraisers.

“The ones we have are successful,” she said. “I don’t see us dropping anything and I definitely can’t see us adding anything. We’ll probably stick with what we have.”

The main focus of the foundation is the $55,000 in annual grants they will award in September.

Teachers have until August 25 to apply for the grants.

“We fund equipment that will enhance education and the school board can’t afford.”

A minimum contribution of $25 is required to become a member of the Demopolis City School Foundation. Contact the office at (334) 289-2226 for more information.