Anita Allen Volek has been an active supporter of the Taylor Educational Enrichment (TEE) Foundation since it’s reactivation in 2016.
Awarding grants during Mallard Mania has been one of her all-time favorite events, and she and husband Dannie have participated in Food Dudes, most recently serving up Dannie’s homemade dressing from an old Volek family recipe.
Now, Volek has taken on the role of executive director for the foundation, supporting classroom learning in a format that she describes as a Booster Club for teachers.
“Athletics has a booster club, band has a booster club, and this is the booster club for teachers,” said Volek. “There are things they desire to make their classrooms better, but money is not within the district budget to help them do that. This organization raises those extra funds to allow teachers to go above and beyond what the district can support and that’s just awesome. Teachers deserve to be able to dream and have someone believe in their dream.”
A 1978 graduate of Taylor High School, Volek’s family moved here the summer before her eighth-grade year. After graduating from Baylor, she ended up back in Taylor working at Texas Power and Light Company. That’s where she met a customer and her future husband, Dannie, who was born and raised in Taylor and was a teacher and counselor here. Their four children are all graduates of Taylor High School.
Volek has taught private piano lessons in Taylor for 30 years and has played piano or organ at First Baptist Church since the age of 16. She has also served on the Taylor ISD school board since 2006 and lives in one of Taylor’s historic homes.
Now, this Taylor Duck looks forward to serving the Foundation and her community in an even more active role.
“When you think of the TEE Foundation, you think of Moppy Miller,” said Volek. “I’m not Moppy Miller, but I am old school Taylor and I think that position almost needs to have somebody in it that is related to Taylor. A lot of districts hire out for their director and get someone with fundraising experience. I just think that in the smaller community that we are right now it’s important to have somebody who when people hear the name and see the face they think, that’s Taylor.”
Volek said she is impressed with the effort and research teachers put into applying for grants, as well as the creativity of the projects they want to implement with students.
“I was so amazed that first or second year when we had a teacher at Pasemann who started a chess club, and to see those little ducks sitting there playing chess,” said Volek. “It wasn’t just the basics. They had strategy going. It’s making those little minds think outside the box.”
The TEE Foundation also supports new, firstyear teachers with a $100 grant each to begin their career.
“My daughter was a first-year teacher four years ago, and a hundred dollars would have gone a long way whether it was buying stuff to decorate bulletin boards or putting a meal in her refrigerator,” said Volek. “First year teachers are scared. They’re overwhelmed and they’re poor since that first paycheck doesn’t arrive until the end of September. Just that little bit of a spark speaks volumes to let them know they are valued and appreciated.”
Volek’s goal in her new role is to maintain the TEE Foundation’s current success while planning for future growth.
“We definitely need to maintain what’s happened because great things have happened,” said Volek. “I think there will be new resources and new partnerships at our availability to do more things with than we have had in the past, and I’m excited about that. If the community grows like it is forecast, we’re going to have more classrooms, more teachers and we’re going to have more needs. We want to be able to have the funds to help out more teachers.”
The TEE Foundation’s established fundraisers include the popular Food Dudes event, and last year’s debut event, Purse Bingo. The Foundation also sponsors Ducks Paving the Way, selling brick pavers at the stadium for people to commemorate ties to the Taylor schools, to honor favorite teachers, or in memory of a loved one. Volek and the TEE Foundation board are already brainstorming ideas for the next big fundraiser.
“We need to think outside the box,” said Volek. “Is there anything we can do to make it bigger, to make it better? If we come up with another creative idea, we need to plug into that. I think it would be to our advantage to add another fundraiser within the next couple of years.”
Volek’s motto is “Bloom Where You’re Planted,” a phrase that reminds her to always work hard and accomplish great things. It’s a goal she has held close to her heart since moving to Taylor in the 1970s, and a mission that continues to inspire her as she takes on this new role.
“Moppy has done such a super job. It’s a well-oiled machine,” said Volek. “Her energy and her excitement are contagious. I’ve got big shoes to fill and I know that. They’re different size feet, but we’re going in the same direction. I’m just excited to take over where she’s leaving off.”
