LincolnWay Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, has established the David A. and Sandra K. Deke Scholarship endowment fund. Endowed funds support perpetual giving with annual payouts, and distributions from the Deke Scholarship Fund will support Central DeWitt High School seniors for generations to come.
“We hope our scholarships will go to students who volunteer, are determined and hardworking, are goal-oriented, and who need financial assistance in a vocation of their choice,” said the Dekes. “We also hope our scholarship recipients will give back in turn.”
Sandra and David, a former board member for the Lincolnway Community Foundation, own Deke Insurance. The company is a second-generation family business. “The DeWitt community has been good to us, and we are believers in paying forward and giving back to this community,” the couple explained.
They have two children and five grandchildren who graduated from Central DeWitt Schools. “DeWitt Community Schools gave our family a great education,” they said. “What better way to give back and succeed beyond high school than to give scholarships?”
The Dekes were connected with the LincolnWay Community Foundation through executive director Pat Henricksen, and have donated to various other initiatives through the Community Foundation. “Dave and Sandi have been active in our community for years, supporting many projects,” said Henricksen. “They both have been very involved with their grandchildren, showing them how to be great community members.”