CY-FAIR EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION HONORS MILITARY HEROES

The Foundation will kick off it's third "Salute to Our Heroes" event on February 12, 2011 at Enchanted Cypress.   "Salute to Our Heroes"  honors the brave men and women who have served to preserve our freedom and liberty. Proceeds from this event go to an endowment enabling graduating students from CFISD to attend college. 

The second annual CFEF "Salute to Our Heroes" fund-raiser  took place Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010 and raised over $50,000.

Pastor Ed Hogan and Jennifer Pittman will once again co-chair the 2011 event.

Hogan said the 2010 inaugural event was extremely successful, and CFEF is sure that the 2011 annual "Salute to Our Heroes" will be incredible.

"We have two purposes," Hogan said. "First, we want to give tribute to our heroes – soldiers serving now, veterans, and those who have been wounded or killed in action. We want to honor those who have served their country."

"The second purpose is to raise funds for scholarships for Cy-Fair ISD students," Hogan said.  "Each year we give three scholarships per Cy-Fair ISD high school, and the number of high schools is growing. It has been a challenge keeping up with the demand, but CFEF is dedicated to that mission."

The inaugural event honored Jersey Village High School graduate 1st Lt. Jeremy E. Ray, who was killed Dec. 20, 2007 while serving his country in Iraq. A CFEF endowment was established in Jeremy's memory last year by an anonymous donor.

Hogan said CFEF is also searching for information on other fallen soldiers who were from the Cy-Fair area. "We encourage anyone with information to contact the Cy-Fair Educational Foundation," Hogan said.

The foundation is also seeking out companies and individuals interested in purchasing sponsorships for the inaugural "Salute to Our Heroes" fund-raising event. One such opportunity - the "Missing Man" event underwriter - sponsors the "Missing Man" table. It represents a moving and poignant tradition.

Following tradition, that table will have empty table settings with chairs leaning up against the table as though saved for someone. The table settings will have a single red rose displayed in a vase in reminder of the bloodshed for our country; and the vase will be tied with a red ribbon – a symbol of the continued pledge to shed blood for our country.  A slice of lemon on the bread plate is a reminder of the bitterness of the loss of comrades in arms; a bowl of salt to symbolize the tears shed by family members of lost loved ones; and glasses turned upside down indicate no one will sit there.

Additional sponsorship opportunities include the Freedom Sponsor, Patriot Sponsor, Liberty Sponsor, and Valor Sponsor.

There will be live and silent auctions at the event, and individual tickets will be sold.