McConaughey donates items for auction to fund Uvalde scholarship

Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey is donating autographed children’s books and bottles of his new tequila brand to a foundation honoring Robb Elementary School shooting victim Makenna Lee Elrod Seiler.

Makenna’s father, Chris Seiler, will include the items in a silent auction he hosts as part of an annual roping and scholarship event in Makenna’s memory. This year’s event is slated for the weekend of April 13-14 at the Uvalde Fairplex.

The activities will include a cornhole tournament, a barbecue cook-off, goat roping and the auction. There also will be a concert and dance on April 13.

All prizes are donated, and the proceeds from the auction will support Makenna’s scholarship fund, which is handed out to Uvalde students who may otherwise struggle to afford higher education. Seiler gave out a $20,000 scholarship last year, and he hopes to reach $30,000 this year.

“We’re honoring her by serving others — people in need and

people that probably wouldn’t be able to go to college without her help,” Seiler said.

Seiler said he was able to reach McConaughey through mutual contacts, and the actor’s

representative called Seiler to tell him McConaughey would send the books and tequila for the auction. It was “really good of him to respond,” Seiler said.

McConaughey has been a public advocate for gun restrictions in the wake of the May 2022 shooting at Robb. Makenna was one of 19 children and two teachers who were killed.

The actor also launched an initiative last year to help school districts apply for federal safety grants.

Makenna, 10, was a kindhearted and caring girl who loved animals and softball, and she would leave sweet notes around the house for her family to find. Her favorite color was purple, and she held a deep faith.

Her 12th birthday would have been April 19.

“I heard a long time ago that if you speak someone’s name, then they’ll live forever,” Seiler said. “I never thought that I’d have to deal with anything like this, but I started the foundation because I wanted people to hear her name.”

You can learn more about the Makenna Lee Elrod Seiler Foundation at iseebutterflies.org or on the foundation’s Facebook page

Evan Vucci/Associated Press file photo Matthew McConaughey, speaking about gun reform in 2022, is donating autographed children’s books and bottles of his new tequila brand to a foundation honoring one of the Uvalde students.