The Willow Springs School District received what officials describe as “a generous donation” from the Paul family to go toward the high school Career and Technical Education Programs.
Rolland "Pig" and Donna Paul moved to Willow Springs from Iowa in the 1960's and established a Pork Plantation which operated for roughly 30 years. The couple were big proponents of agriculture in many aspects for decades before they died last year, Donna in January and Pig in May.
The family felt Pig and Donna would be happy with this donation to promote students in the many opportunities that Career Tech Education offers, explained district Communications Director Jenny Hayward, adding the donation will benefit all of the district’s CTE programs.
"The entire Paul family have been lifelong supporters of Willow Springs and our hometown school," said Superintendent Dr. Marty Spence. "This incredibly generous donation will absolutely give the kids in our community the resources to succeed. Bear Nation is humbled and grateful to carry on the Paul legacy."
Hayward further explained the memorial funds are intended by the donor families to serve two purposes: “The first is to help purchase supportive equipment for every CTE program, both new and existing, that we have in place, and secondly to support an existing Alumni fund that is currently in our FFA chapter. The Alumni Fund provides financial support to students in the chapter, ensuring that regardless of a student's financial status they have the resources they need to compete in area contests and events.”
The exact amount of the donation was not disclosed, at the families’ request, said Hayward.
