Details about the sixth annual Austin Education Foundation golf benefit were announced Wednesday at a press conference at Ellis Middle School.

A.P.E. (Austin Public Education) Fore Kids will be held July 14 at the Ramsey Country Club and will include 18 holes of golf, games, prizes, lunch and dinner. The cost will be $80 per player.

The benefit is the major fund raiser for the foundation, which uses the money to increase the James and Joanne Huntting Endowment and the Packer Fund, from which annual grants are awarded to the public schools.

Money raised increases the capital on the funds. Money earned from interest and investments goes toward the grants.

Last year, the event raised about $10,000.

Executive Director Peggy Benzkofer said many of the projects supported by the foundation would not be possible without that grant money.

One such project on display was the Ellis CO2 car racing. The carpentry classes at Ellis design and build cars powered by carbon dioxide cartridges. They then race the cars at the end of each quarter. The foundation granted about $3,300 for the track this year.

"It was a great program before," Industrial Arts Instructor Steve Weisgram said. "Now it just makes it a phenomenal thing."

Sixth-grader Chrissy Schroeder said she learned a lot from working on the project.

"You have to have patience so it will all come together," she said.

Eighth-grader Mitch Meyer worked on the project in sixth grade without the track and then again this year.

"I think the times are a little more consistent, and the visual display is nice," he said.

Dan Hernandez, who volunteers for public relations, said now more than ever the foundation is important.

"With the pending tight budget, we have become a great resource," he said.

For information on the event, call 433-0433. Benzkofer said they also appreciate donations, which can be sent to P.O. Box 878, Austin 55912.

Matt Merritt can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at matt.merritt@austindailyherald.com