Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
May 10, 2007 issue
Project Graduation Fundraiser
Collects More Than $24,000 
Story by Sam Calhoun
On Sunday, John Councill of Boone won a new $15,000 2007 Toyota Yaris in the annual Project Graduation car raffle sponsored by Toyota of Boone. But he isn’t the only one smiling.
With donations still rolling in, Watauga High School seniors will get to party the night away on May 28—the night of their graduation from high school—with a budget of at least $24,136 for the 18th annual Project Graduation.
“The fundraiser was great,” said Norman Cheek, owner of Toyota of Boone and long-time supporter and fundraiser for Project Graduation. “We’re going to have quite enough money to have the party.”
Now in its 18th year, Project Graduation offers high school graduates an opportunity to celebrate their milestone achievement with a night of games, prizes and food immediately following commencement exercises. The event began as a safe alternative to a destructive and potentially dangerous drug- and alcohol-fueled post-graduation celebration and it has been successful. Since it began, graduation night has been accident free in Ashe, Watauga and Caldwell counties.
Cheek spearheads the fundraising for Project Graduation in all three counties, and they are annually the three counties with the most donations in the state. Every year, Cheek donates a car for a raffle and the proceeds benefit the party. In addition to Cheek’s fundraiser, community members send donations directly to Watauga High School.
Councill, a long-time friend of Cheek and this year’s car winner, has long been a supporter of Project Graduation.
“Every year since I began this thing, he’s donated to Project Graduation,” said Cheek of Councill.
“I remember when he started this thing. He’s done an awful lot for the local community. And this is a good thing—there weren’t as many ways to get into trouble when I was in high school as there are now,” said Councill, 77, who showed up at this year’s fundraiser expecting to drop off a check and leave. “I was just coming to make a contribution. This girl came up to me and handed me a ticket. I never thought about [winning a car]. It never even crossed my mind.”
Although Councill was worried about getting insurance on his new vehicle, Cheek did some last-minute paperwork and Councill was able to drive his car home Monday. From the car raffle, Cheek raised $14,136.87 toward Project Graduation. Watauga High School, to date, has raised more than $10,000.
“We would really like to thank everyone who played a part and gave donations to this year’s Project Graduation,” said Cheek, who singled out area businesses that helped, including Lowe’s Home Improvement, Boone Crane Service, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, Suburban Propane and area grocery stores.
You can still donate to this year’s Project Graduation. Send checks to Project Graduation, c/o Claire Homeier, Watauga High School, 400 High School Drive, Boone, NC, 28607.
Donations for Ashe County’s Project Graduation are at more than $20,000 and donations for Caldwell County’s Project Graduation are at more than $24,000.