Allendale County Schools urges final push for fine arts donut fundraiser

Allendale County Schools used the final stretch of its donut fundraiser to push support toward the Allendale-Fairfax Middle High School fine arts program, telling families and alumni that each purchase would go straight back to students. The district said the effort gave the community a low-cost way to help cover the next year’s performances, experiences, equipment and skill-building for musical scholars.

The fundraiser ran until May 14, 2026, and the district posted on May 11 that only three days remained to buy in through a chorus or band student. Supporters could order a dozen donuts for $16 or buy a gift certificate for an amount of their choosing. District messages framed the sale as more than a snack drive, presenting it as direct investment in band, chorus and other fine arts opportunities for students in Allendale County.

That emphasis mattered in a rural district where arts programs often depend on steady but modest community support. The money raised was meant to help fill gaps that school budgets do not always cover, especially for performances, enrichment and the tools students need to participate fully. For many students, those activities are where confidence grows, teamwork is built and school feels most connected to their own talents.

Hiram E. M. Davis, identified by the district as the choral director at Allendale-Fairfax Middle High School, has been in his second year with Allendale County Schools and brings more than 15 years of experience working with youth in various roles. His work sits at the center of a program that the district said depends on community help to keep students active on stage and in rehearsal halls, not just in class.

The fundraiser also fit into a larger effort to strengthen arts education in rural Allendale County. Winthrop University’s Arts in Basic Curriculum Project launched a five-year CARE Project with Allendale County School District in 2021, backed by a $2.58 million U.S. Department of Education grant. The project is intended to study ways to improve rural arts education through 2026, making small local efforts like this donut sale part of a much bigger push to keep fine arts alive for students in places where opportunities are often limited by distance, funding and size.

As school notices about testing, senior events and planning meetings moved across district pages this spring, the donut fundraiser stood out for its simplicity and its purpose. In a county where every extra instrument, costume and performance trip can shape a student’s experience, the final three days carried a clear message: small purchases could still make a real difference for the musicians and performers at Allendale-Fairfax Middle High School.