Touchet Educational Foundation

Helping Touchet High School graduates in their pursuit of higher education

Touchet Educational Foundation Scholarships

TEF ENDOWMENT FUNDS & SCHOLARSHIPS

It is exciting that  many of our scholarships are permanently funded through our partnership with the Blue Mountain Community Foundation (www.bluemountainfoundation.org).  Our endowment funds with BMCF are professionally managed as part of their very large investment portfolio.  When a TEF scholarship is set up as an endowment fund, the donation is deposited with BMCF.  The minimum contribution is $25,000 and funds can be added at any time.  Each year, a distribution of earnings is made from BMCF for each endowment fund with a principle balance of at least $10,000.  The idea is that earnings on an endowment fund will provide a scholarship of approximately $500.  Due to market fluctuations, balances have sometimes fallen below the $10,000 level and/or the yearly distributions are less than $500.  Our goal is to increase the principle balances of our endowment funds so the annual distributions will increase to make larger scholarship awards possible in the future.  Please consider a donation today.  If you would like to establish a new scholarship, please contact us via email:  touchetedfund@yahoo.com and we will be happy to discuss the details.

Evelyn & Don Patterson Memorial Scholarship - Established 2019     $11,914

Established in memory of Evelyn (McCubbins) & Don Patterson, who graduated in 1968 & 1969, married in 1970.  Don passed away in 2004, Evelyn in 2016.  The scholarship was set up by her sister Eileen (McCubbins) Daniel to be directed toward a student in the area of medical, veterinary, forestry, theology or the arts, all important interests of Evelyn & Don.

Callander Family Scholarship - Established 2019      $11,389

Established by Bruce & Barbee Callander in honor of the Dodd and Rea families and their one hundred forty years of farming and contributions to the Touchet community.

Alumni Scholarship funded by Oscar Ferrians - Established 2014      $11,800

The Alumni Scholarship was endowed in 2014 with a generous $10,000 donation made by Oscar Ferrians, class of 1946.

​Education Scholarship in memory of Helen & Elbert Durfee - Established 2014     $13,352

Started in 2003, Mr. Durfee funded this scholarship in memory of his wife as an endowment in 2014, for a worthy student pursuing a degree in Education.  After his passing in 2015, the scholarship is awarded in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Durfee.

FBLA Scholarship in memory of Alvin & Mary'O Adams - Established 2013      $23,679

Founded by their children, this scholarship is in honor of Alvin (class of 1938) and Mary'O Adams to promote interest in business and service to the community.  The endowment balance was essentially doubled in 2018 with an additional donation by their son, Sam (class of 1963).

Dave Reppe Memorial Scholarship - Established 2013     $12,421

Founded by Dave's family, this scholarship is for a student who attends a college in Oregon.  He grew up in Klamath Falls, graduated from Oregon State University, moved to Touchet in 1972 with his wife, Sandy, and was involved in everything Touchet.

Medical Science Scholarship in memory of Robert McCubbins - Established 2009     $12,867

Founded by his sister, Malinda, this scholarship in memory of Robert, class of 1977, is for a student interested in a field of medicine, such as nursing, radiology or EMT.

Touchet Gun Club Scholarship - Established 2006     $26,699

The TGC had owned a club house and shooting range on Touchet North Road since 1947.  In 2006, the members voted to sell the property and donate the proceeds of $26,000 to TEF.  The contribution was used to establish an endowment fund to support scholarships for graduates.

Eileen Collier Continuing Education Scholarship - Established 2006     $20,986

When she passed away at the age of 102, Eileen (Cummins) Collier left a contribution to TEF.  After graduating from Touchet in 1919, she attended a year at Whitman College and graduated in 1926 from Washington State College (now WSU).  She and Wayne Collier were married in May 1926 in Touchet, they bought an automobile dealership in Hermiston and later retired in Walla Walla.  The distribution from this endowment fund provides for a Continuing Education scholarship for a past Touchet graduate at a 4 year college or university.

TEF General Endowment Fund - Established 2005     $52,690

Our first endowment fund was established in 2005 (just 2 years after TEF began), with a generous $3000 gift from Mildred (Dennis) Hendricson, class of 1937, who donated in memory of her parents, Maude & Archie Dennis.

TEF COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS

In addition to all of our endowed scholarships, there are many other community scholarships available to students through the TEF scholarship application process each spring.  Scholarships funded each year at a minimum of $500.  If you would like to establish a new scholarship, please contact us via email:  touchetedfund@yahoo.com and we will be happy to discuss the details.

Leadership Scholarship in memory of Paul Garbe & Wilbur Garbe, Jr.

In memory of two brothers who died tragically, this scholarship was established in 1971 by Wilbur Garbe, Jr.'s widow, Elaine.  The Wilbur Garbe family has provided funding for this scholarship since 1971.

Tri-Community Homemakers Scholarship

This local women's service club has given a scholarship since 1978.  This is an academic scholarship, which the group continues to fund each year.

Friendship Scholarship in memory of Robert McCubbins

Created in 2008 to honor Robert's memory (class of 1977) of being giving and generous to others, this scholarship is awarded to a student who is friendly, helpful, kind and caring towards others.  It is funded each year by Michael & Julie McCubbins.

FFA Scholarship in memory of Roy Kregger

This scholarship was started by his wife, Marguerite, after Mr. Kregger's death.  It recognizes a student that exhibits outstanding involvement and leadership​ in the Touchet FFA.

FFA Scholarship in memory of Richard Garbe

After Mr. Garbe's (class of 1956) passing in 2017, his family set up this scholarship to recognize a senior member of the Touchet FFA Chapter who has achieved the State Farmer Award.  Funding has come from Dick's family, as well as from the memorial contributions we received in his name.

​Continuing Education Scholarship in memory of Ron Dunning, Jr.

An FFA Scholarship was given in memory of Ron since his passing in 1986, the summer after graduating from THS.  The Dunning family chose to change the focus of his memorial contribution in 2018.  The scholarship is awarded as a general continuing education scholarship to assist past graduates as they complete a bachelor's or advanced degree.

Florence (Aichele) Adams Memorial Scholarship