Give Back, Move Forward - St. Francis Alumni

07/06/2026

06/19/2026

We’re honored to share this feature from Cheyenne County Kansas Community Foundation's 2025 Annual Report recognizing the life, legacy, and lasting impact of Carl Werner.

Carl devoted decades to serving St. Francis students, staff, and families - not only as an educator and superintendent, but as a mentor, leader, and champion for local education. His commitment extended far beyond his years in the school system and continues today through the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund.

As highlighted in this article, Carl believed in creating opportunities that would continue long after his lifetime. Through his generosity and vision, the fund supports scholarships and projects that benefit USD 297 and help strengthen the future of our school.

As we continue to celebrate his legacy, we invite you to take a moment to read and reflect on the many lives he impacted and the example he set for our community.

06/18/2026

A special thank you to Jakob Church with Jackson Street Glass LLC for supporting the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund as one of our raffle prize sponsors! He generously donated a car detailing kit as well as a gift card for $100 off of a windshield replacement.

We’re incredibly grateful for local businesses and community members who continue to invest in opportunities for St. Francis students. Support like this helps us grow the fund, expand its impact, and continue supporting scholarships and projects that benefit our school for years to come.

To contribute to the fund and receive a raffle entry, donations can be made through Cheyenne County Kansas Community Foundation or online at:
https://gnwkcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1366&sorg_id=1040

06/18/2026

As a thank you to those who choose to support the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund, every donation made until the conclusion of Alumni Weekend will automatically receive a raffle entry, regardless of donation amount.

That means every contribution, large or small, has the opportunity to make a lasting impact for St. Francis students while also being entered to win one of our generously donated prizes!

Current raffle prizes include:
🎟️ $25 Gift Card - Majestic Service Truck Stop and Restaurant
🎟️ $100 Gift Card - Vision Source of St. Francis
🎟️ $100 Off Windshield Replacement - Jackson Street Glass LLC
🎟️ Car Detailing Kit - Jackson Street Glass LLC

The Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund (originally founded by Mr. Carl Werner) currently supports scholarships and a variety of school improvement projects, and our goal is to continue growing the fund to expand opportunities for future generations of students.

The raffle drawing will be held at the conclusion of Alumni Weekend, and winners will be contacted directly so prizes can be picked up or shipped accordingly.

To contribute to the fund and receive a raffle entry, donations can be made through the Cheyenne County Kansas Community Foundation or online at:
https://gnwkcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1366&sorg_id=1040

Thank you for investing in the future of St. Francis students and thank you to our raffle sponsors for helping us celebrate the generosity of our community!

06/15/2026

As part of this year’s alumni weekend festivities, we invite you to join us for the Carl Werner Memorial Social Hour in the high school cafeteria between class photos and the alumni dinner on Saturday evening! 💚💛

Whether or not you're attending the dinner, we encourage you to stop by and spend time reminiscing and sharing memories of Mr. Werner and the lasting impact he had on our school and community. Guests will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund, explore some of the scholarships and projects it has helped make possible, and discover how continued support can expand opportunities for future generations.

Attendees will also have the chance to make a contribution to the fund and receive an entry into our raffle drawing, along with the opportunity to check out the school’s new “Indians in Touch” digital system featuring yearbooks, school records, photos, memories, and more.

We hope you'll join us as we celebrate our school, honor Carl’s legacy, and invest in the future of St. Francis students. If you cannot make it but would still like to contribute to the Educational Foundation Fund in his honor, you may mail donations to CCKCF, P.O. Box 967, St. Francis, KS 67756 or donate online at https://gnwkcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1366&sorg_id=1040&fbclid=IwY2xjawSdQnhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEemo-qeLan1Agyj-_E0kfWwVZxDcFzFZsHgioKg_QdWZBPG7-Jr8IU6qugWMI_aem_9mDii91qHVqm-gyoBcYqWA 🔗

06/12/2026

A special thank you to Vision Source of St. Francis for supporting the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund as one of our raffle prize sponsors!

We’re incredibly grateful for local businesses and community members who continue to invest in opportunities for St. Francis students. Support like this helps us grow the fund, expand its impact, and continue supporting scholarships and projects that benefit our school for years to come.

As we prepare for Alumni Weekend, we are still accepting additional raffle prize donations from businesses and individuals. Gift certificates, products, services, experiences, and other raffle items are all appreciated! All individuals who contribute to the Educational Foundation Fund are automatically entered into the raffle as a way for us to show our appreciation to those who donate.

Please fill out the linked form or contact us if you are interested in donating a raffle prize or would like additional information.
🔗: https://forms.gle/vPiJjJ5L3AECYdB46

06/11/2026

A special thank you to Majestic Service Truck Stop and Restaurant for becoming one of our first raffle prize sponsors for the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund fundraiser!

Community support like this helps us raise awareness, encourage participation, and ultimately grow a fund that will benefit St. Francis students for years to come.

We're currently looking for additional raffle prize donations from local businesses and individuals. Gift certificates, merchandise, services, gift baskets, experiences, and other prize items are all welcome.

If your business would like to contribute a raffle item, we'd love to hear from you! Every donation helps make this fundraiser a success and demonstrates the strong support our community has for local education.

Please fill out the linked form or contact us if you are interested in donating a raffle prize or would like additional information. Thank you for helping us invest in the future of St. Francis students!

🔗: https://forms.gle/vPiJjJ5L3AECYdB46

06/02/2026

If you haven't seen it yet, here's the schedule of events for this year's Alumni Weekend! We look forward to welcoming alumni, friends, and community members back to St. Francis for a weekend of reconnecting, reminiscing, and celebrating our shared history.

As part of this year's festivities, we invite you to join us for the Carl Werner Memorial Social Hour in the high school cafeteria between class photos and the alumni dinner on Saturday evening.

Whether or not you're attending the dinner, we encourage you to stop by to learn more about the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund, share memories and stories of Mr. Werner, and see firsthand how the fund is making an impact. Guests will also have the opportunity to explore the school's new TouchPro system, featuring yearbooks, school records, photos, and memories from generations of St. Francis students.

We hope you'll join us as we celebrate our school, honor Carl's legacy, and invest in the future of St. Francis students.

06/02/2026

A few weeks ago, we mailed these letters to local businesses seeking raffle prize donations to benefit the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund. We've since learned that some email responses may not have reached us due to delivery issues.

If your business is interested in donating a raffle item, making a contribution to the Education Fund, or displaying a flyer in your storefront, we would love to hear from you!

The success of this Fund depends on the incredible support of our community, and we are truly grateful for every donation, raffle prize, flyer placement, share, and word-of-mouth recommendation.

Thank you for helping us invest in the future of St. Francis students and continue supporting projects that enhance our school for generations to come. 💚💛

Form to donate a raffle prize: https://forms.gle/J1NW7LRVWsNE5nJr7
Link to donate to the fund: https://gnwkcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1366&sorg_id=1040

05/21/2026

Congratulations to the following scholarship recipients, made possible by funding from the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund.

🎓 Dale M. Dennis Excellence in Education Award - Brayden Helton
🎓 KSHSAA Female Citizenship Award - Kaylee Doyle
🎓 KSHSAA Male Citizenship Award - Ethan Graham
🎓 Francis Bishop Memorial “Dedication to Journalism Award” - Cheyenne LaBarge

The Educational Foundation Fund is proud to provide thousands of dollars in scholarships each year to deserving students as they begin their next chapter.

As we celebrate these students and their accomplishments, we’re also looking ahead. Our goal is to continue growing the Saint Francis Educational Foundation Fund so we can contribute to even more projects that enhance our school and benefit future generations of students.

Congratulations again to this year’s recipients - we can’t wait to see all you accomplish!

For those interested in supporting the future of St. Francis students, contributions can be made through Cheyenne County Kansas Community Foundation or online at: https://gnwkcf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1366&sorg_id=1040