Issue 6 - InVironments Magazine

Food
approached the group about using the
new hangar. After looking at the space,
Amy said they knew they could use the
space and allow the event to grow.
The chefs take their job very seriously,
coming up with flavorful dishes. Some are
simple and some are elaborate. Joe said,
“The first couple of years the decorations
were very elaborate. But now it seems
like the chefs are focusing more on their
food and less on the decorations.”
Male rivalry takes over and the trash
talking during setup and during the
dinner shows the guys are having a
good time. When the heckling stops, the
chefs buy each other a beer. Chefs get
to sample each other’s work in a preevent
reception. The board adds some
fun to the reception by giving away
funny awards for everything from being
the last to arrive to kitchen calamities.
“The men are really doing the
cooking. There is a camaraderie and
competitiveness among the chefs,” Amy
said. Among the chefs that are signed
up this year are Rep. Bob Pritchard,
RTHS principal Travis McGuire, and
local chiropractor, Dr. Tim Salinas.
The chefs bring their own food and
utensils; the foundation provides the
paper products. Guest are handed a
plate and ballot and are allowed to visit
the booths, where sample sized servings
are available. “You can really have one
heck of a meal,” Joe said. “I was floored
at how good the food was the first year.”
Not everyone gets to every station.
Popular stations have been known to
run out of food. Organizers encourage
chefs to prepare something that can
be stretched if the event attracts
more diners than expected.
“It amazes me. People are still
talking about the food days later,”
Amy said. People are starting to
come from all over the region as the
reputation of the food grows.
“The first year, a couple came in wearing
chaps. They were riding their motorcycle
through the area, saw the sign, and came
in for dinner,” Cathey reminisced. They
swore to come back the next year.
“This is an event for anyone. The
cost of the ticket is all you have to
spend. You can participate in the
raffles and silent auction or not. The
amount you spend is up to you. And
you don’t need to buy special clothes
to come and join us,” Amy said.
Planning for the event takes several
months but it seems to be a labor
of love for the Foundation board.
When the evening is over and funds
are counted, the board gets on with
the best part of their job – awarding
grants to RTHS teachers.
The RTHSEF was formed in 1993 by Dr. Jerry Wilson
and other visionaries who wanted to create a lasting
source of funding to improve RTHS. Teachers submit
grant proposals to the foundation for items to enhance
their classroom or curriculum. Most are looking for
larger scale items that the school budget can’t afford.
Their first project was to renovate the Counseling Center
in the old high school. Since then, they have funded the
creation of the Foreign Language lab and bought items
such as a stove for the Life Skills Class and a cooler for
the Horticulture class. They have also bought items
such as smart boards, computers, and e-readers.
“If we can’t fund the entire request, we work with
the teacher or department to figure out what the
most important part is we can fund,” Joe said.
Amy added, “Every department but two has
benefitted from the foundation.” The two unfunded
departments have never submitted requests.
Most recently, the RTHSEF has partnered
with the Rochelle Area Community
Foundation to start an endowment fund.
The RTHSEF put in $10,000 and received a
matching grant from the RACF for $5,000.
“This endowment will allow us to handle
larger grants. It’s our way of looking down
the road to prepare for the future,” Joe said.
“Education is such an important part of this society.
The foundation has made a large impact at the high
school. It gives them another avenue to get the items
they need when the state is in trouble,” Joe said.
As a teacher in the elementary district, Amy
said that it’s nice for teachers to get the thing
they want or need to facilitate learning.
Cathey said part of the grant process includes follow-up on
the projects the foundation has funded. “The foundations
impact on the students becomes so clear,” she said.
The board members include Joe Hill, Cathey Stoddard,
and Amy Hayden as well as Joel Thompson, Jared
Thompson, Pam Draves, Jessica Hughes, Kathy
Connor, Marilu Dougherty, Scott Mincemoyer, Sharon
Duncan, and RTHS liaison, Dr. Liz Freeman.
To help our students through the RTHSEF, eat
your heart out at the 30 Men Who Cook. For more
information, go to their website at http://rthsef.org.
34 Rochelle InVironments Magazine • August-September 2011
Where life happens. 35