By David Taylor / Managing Editor
Johnelle Eilers and Don Guillory have been good friends for quite some time. The couple does everything together including the purchase of a raffle ticket for the Highlands Rotary Chilifest.
“We split it,” Eilers smiled, “right down the middle and have been for years,” she noted.
She’s been buying a ticket for the last decade, but the two of them have split the cost of the $100 ticket the last three years.
They had always hoped they might win, but really donated the money for the mission of the Rotary Club and all they do in the community.
The fundraiser last Saturday happened to fall on the day before they had planned to leave for a cruise so they weren’t at the event.
When their name was announced, friends at the Chilifest began blowing up their phone with calls telling them they had won.
They never dreamed they would be the winners of the 2025 Chevrolet Trailblazer or Trax.
Eilers works at Sterling-White Funeral Home and said she needs a new car.
“I’m in need of a car and it was time so we’ll work it out. We’ll talk about it while we’re on the cruise,” she said excitedly.
The Crosby couple rushed to St. Jude’s Catholic Church on Main Street in Highlands where the fundraiser was being held and posed for photos with the new car.
“He’s already told me I could have the back tires,” she laughed. “We’re very excited and feel very blessed.”
The Highlands Rotary Club’s annual fundraiser has once again proven to be a resounding success, with this year’s event likely surpassing last year’s totals and energizing the local community.
According to club president Patricia Scott, the club believes it sold all 700 raffle tickets, potentially raising $70,000, though final numbers are pending due to the treasurer’s illness.
“I think it will top last year’s. I believe we sold all of our tickets. Our auction was amazing for us, you know but I don’t have any numbers. We won’t have numbers probably until next week. But I do know it was a very successful event,” Scott said.
The live auction alone brought in an estimated $25,000, a figure that Scott described as “really good” and “definitely better than last year.” She attributed the strong turnout and sales to the club’s dedicated supporters and a few last-minute ticket buyers who helped push sales over the top.
“We have just a lot of wonderful supporters that come there every year and support the community. And like I said, we had three or four gentlemen that came in at the last minute and bought many tickets. That pushed us over the top on our ticket sales,” she explained.
Funds raised from the event support a wide range of local projects.
“This fundraiser supports all our local projects, we serve the senior citizens, we support the library. This year we did a project with the pregnancy center there in Highlands. We donated the sign outside and then helped redo the bathrooms, the customers’ bathrooms. And then, of course, we give to the Little League, the Crosby Fair and Rodeo, the Baytown Fair and Rodeo, a large amount of money goes to our scholarships,” Scott said.
Every year, the club awards between $35,000 and $40,000 in scholarships, primarily to students from Goose Creek Memorial, Chinquapin, and Crosby, as well as to any former Highlands students now in college.
“If they got one last year, they’re welcome to apply again,” Scott noted, emphasizing the club’s ongoing commitment to education.
Other initiatives include supporting Highlands Elementary through monthly birthday celebrations, school supplies, breakfasts, and perfect attendance bicycles. Scott also highlighted the importance of community sponsors, who provided $15,000 to $16,000 in seed money this year, giving the fundraiser a strong start.
In closing, Scott expressed gratitude to the community and sponsors: “Absolutely thank them and our sponsors, but all the community, ‘cause all of our sponsors are within the community.”
Sponsors included Daniel’s Meat Market, Hill Materials, Chuck and Carol Radney, Griffith Truck and Equipment, Transpak, Community Toyota-Honda-KIA, Capital Bank, Edward Jones-Crosby, Central uto Inspection, Sterling-White Funeral Home, RE/Max Excellence, BDI Resources and LBY Construction.
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