Education Foundation gains momentum on endowment fund plans
The Healdsburg Education Foundation is making progress on plans to build a multi-million dollar endowment fund, thanks to the generosity of another local family who recently made a sizable donation to support the local schools.
The Deas family, founders and owners of E&M Electric and longtime supporters of the schools and community, recently pledged $100,000 to the endowment fund.
Paul Deas, who served for years as a Healdsburg Unified School District board member said the pledge comes at a good time for the district.
“Now is the time to invest in the HEF Endowment and the long-term success of our schools,” he said. “Unlike a few years ago, when our District was struggling to make ends meet, today the District is on solid financial ground. This means that gifts can be focused on long-term planning and building the endowment for future generations.”
The Deas family is rooted in Healdsburg. Patriarch, Edgar, moved to the United States in 1943, when he was 7 years old. Edgar’s father Mario opened a motor shop in Willits, and by 1955, the family had relocated to Healdsburg. Soon after graduating from high school, the father and son decided to go into business together, opening E & M Electric, which began as a motor shop and has become a leader in the field of automation.
Edgar and wife Judy’s four sons — Steve, Paul, Bruce and Mike — all went through Healdsburg schools, as did their 12 grandchildren.
“Our gift to the HEF Endowment reflects our belief that community support is needed if we are to ensure that vital programs and twenty-first century curriculum evolve to prepare our students for college and career into the future,” Judy said. “The Endowment is the key to the long-term success of our schools.”
The HEF Endowment was established in 2011 with a gift of $300,000 from Kim and John Lloyd of Big John’s Market in addition to a seed donation made by Summit State Bank, with a $25,000 pledge in honor of HEF’s 25th Anniversary.
The Healdsburg Education Foundation has built an Endowment Task Force formed to move the Endowment campaign forward.
Task Force co-chairs Juli Muhleman and Kirk Bowman said the Deas donation was a wonderful gift to the schools and community.
“We are thrilled to receive this vote of confidence from a local family that is so involved in our business and school community and shares our vision of ensuring the best education for our children now and far into the future,” Bowman said.
John Lloyd, who owns Big John’s Market and has been an integral part of fund-raising for the schools said he believes in supporting quality public education for the Healdsburg community.
“We commend the Deas Family for their generous contributions to the HEF Endowment. It truly takes a village to educate its young, and we need more Deas-like families to join us and support the Healdsburg Education Foundation with contributions to ensure the support of public education for years to come.”
For more information on how to support the Endowment Program and our local public schools, please call 433-1223 or email
in**@he********.com
.
