HCF Gift Legacy eNewsletter 09/22/21

ENDOWMENTS
Local groups making a difference

The California Rodeo Scholarship endowment was established in 1987 with donations from the California Rodeo Committee. Marlies Hammer is the committee chair and said that giving scholarships each year out of the endowment is an exciting event for the five who are part of the group.

“We are always so happy to help,” Hammer said. 

The California Rodeo Endowed Scholarship is awarded to Salinas Valley High school graduates, who are continuing their education at Hartnell College or transferring to a 4-year institution and show both academic promise and financial need, in order to help them reach their academic goals.

The committee selects five recipients each year to receive a $2,000 scholarship each. During a normal year, the awards are given at the Director’s Dinner. In recent times, a more intimate convening allowed the awarding celebration to continue.

“It’s so exciting when we read the students’ bios and when I get to make that call to congratulate them,” Hammer said. “For the committee, it is as rewarding when we meet them at the dinner and know that we are making a difference in their future.”

When the endowment was created in the 80s, the Fiesta Committee, as it was called back then, earned the funds to start the $100,000 endowment. Since then, the $10,000 in interest has covered the scholarships and the vision of the committee on an annual basis.

Marlies is happy to volunteer for this committee. She is a mother of two, married, and an independent contractor in accounting. She is proud to be a part of a committee that cares about youth and the community.

“We understand our recipients may have additional challenges and I am so proud of our committee’s heart,” she said. “A young man didn’t even have a laptop computer and was about to start at Hartnell, and so our committee director approved extra funding – this awardee has now become one of our volunteers.” 

It is particularly refreshing and heartwarming when scholarship donors and committees make these special connections with our students. We appreciate this group and their commitment to uplifting students very much. You too can make an impact. For more information about becoming a scholarship donor, go to https://hartnellfoundation.org/student-success/student-scholarships/.

[In photo L to R: Committee members – Jennifer Bates, Marlies Hammer, Paul Wiseman, Cheryl Wiseman (not pictured, Manuel Romero)]