Kee High alum Ray Burroughs creates “Awesome Rides” calendar to raise funds for his alma mater, feature classic vehicles within the school district area
“Awesome Rides” calendar created to benefit EACSD ... Ray Burroughs (right in above photo) of Waukon, a 1973 graduate of Kee High School, has created a fundraising calendar that encompasses both his fondness for classic vehicles and his high school alma mater. “Awesome Rides” (the cover of which is pictured below) is now available for purchase at several area locations, with all proceeds benefiting activities in the Eastern Allamakee Community School District. Burroughs is pictured above purchasing the first copy of the calendar from Eastern Allamakee Community School District Superintendent and Kee High School Principal Sarah Murray. Submitted images.
A Christmas gift received last year by 1973 Kee High School graduate Ray Burroughs of Waukon has inspired a similar project that he hopes will keep on giving.
After receiving a photo calendar created by his son, Jesse, as a Christmas gift this past December, Burroughs has taken that idea and is trying to make it into a gift of his own that will continue to give to the high school he graduated from 50 years ago. That idea has produced the first edition of “Awesome Rides,” a photo calendar now available for purchase that will not only benefit the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) but also features classic vehicles owned by residents within or individuals otherwise associated with the school district.
“There have been a lot of fundraisers that come and go over the year, but I was thinking this is something that you not only have for the calendar year, but the photos are something you can keep even longer,” Burroughs said.
Burroughs emphasized that the proceeds from the calendar sales will be evenly split between extracurricular activities in the EACSD. “That’s all activities, sports, band, choir, drama, speech - all of it,” Burroughs said. “Those are all important parts of school and not all of them get the regular funding they need.”
Featured in the calendar are the following vehicles from within the area:
• 1968 Camaro SS owned by Beau Bennett
• 1969 Road Runner owned by Carl and Jennifer Colsch
• 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 owned by Dave Jr. and Kathy Moritz
• 1949 Willy’s Jeepster owned by Mike and Lori Peters
• 1968 Dodge Charger owned by Steve and Laura Connelly
• 1966 Pontiac GTO and a Checkmate boat that has been towed by that classic car for the past 47 years, both owned by Ray and Margie Burroughs
• 1956 Chevy owned by Fred and Nancy Rethwisch
• 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 owned by Greg and Sue Stirn
• 1947 Chevy Pick-Up owned by Roger and Toni Bakewell
• 1956 Ford Victoria owned by Bill and Teri Rethwisch
• 1955 Ford Fairlane owned by Don and LeeAnn Peters
• 1970 Monte Carlo owned by Kirk Kious.
Photos of these vehicles were taken by Burroughs’ son, Jesse, who traveled from where he lives in Cresco to take the photos in the Lansing and New Albin areas. Burroughs says spending time with his son was an added benefit of the calendar project.
“It was some nice father and son time that we got to spend together, getting to enjoy some really beautiful machines,” Ray Burroughs said. “That was a nice added benefit of putting this all together.”
The calendars are for sale at Cunningham Hardware in Waukon, Lansing Auto Parts, New Albin Savings Bank, and Kerndt Brothers Bank in Lansing, Waukon and Decorah.
Burroughs said he plans to continue to create a new calendar each year, as long as there is interest. He said the 2025 calendar is already filled with photos. Anyone who wants to be part of future calendars is asked to mail Burroughs a letter expressing that interest and maybe sharing a photo of the vehicle they would like to include. That letter can be sent to: Ray Burroughs, 410 3rd Street NE, Waukon, IA 52172.
