Second Annual Gift Made from Lori Heims Memorial Endowment

The arts at Edgewood-Colesburg High School are getting a boost thanks to the second annual gift from the Lori Heims Memorial Endowment. Established in 2021 by Heims’ daughters to memorialize their mom, the endowment will support the Friends of the Arts program this year.

Lori, who passed away in 20216, and her three daughters all graduated from Ed-Co High School. While her daughters were students, Lori encouraged them to be involved in extracurricular activities, and all three took part in programs supported by Friends of the Arts. 

All three daughters were school band members throughout high school. “For me, being a part of band was an enjoyable and beneficial part of my school years by providing both a social atmosphere as well as teaching skills that translated to the academic world and beyond,” said daughter Melissa Kirby. 

During the combined 11 years her children were in band, Lori did not miss one concert, her daughters said. “Our band teacher always told us to ‘play for someone you love.’ The three of us played for our mom,” said daughter Alison Robinson.

Lori also was proud to support her daughters in art classes, speech and theater productions, as well as their academic pursuits. Today, Lori’s daughter’s stay engaged with Ed-Co’s arts activities through social media, and they hope this donation will continue to positively impact the programs that provided many positive memories. 

The endowment is held by the Clayton County Foundation for the Future, which works with donors, nonprofits and community partners to bridge important quality of life needs across the county with resources address them. Endowments are invested permanently and provide annual distributions to benefit the community. 

Gifts of $50 or more made to the Lori Heims Memorial Endowment before June 1, 2023 are eligible for the generous Endow Iowa 25% State Tax Credit. To make your gift in honor of Lori Heims, visit dbqfoundation.org/loriheims.