We surpassed our goal due to the generosity of our donors, including all of you who donated $50 to $5,000 and especially those that did $50 each month in honor of our 50th anniversary. A huge thank you for your passion for education and commitment to student success in South Deschutes County!
Our members share a long-standing philanthropic commitment to the well-being and educational success of local youth. La Pine High School's low graduation rate and the negative impact of virtual learning were a concern to our members.
Eager to make a difference, we decided to honor our club's 50th anniversary by doing more to make a significant impact to support students' educational success in South Deschutes County.
Our 50th anniversary project, “Power of 50 for Education,” was established with a goal of raising $50,000. Our philanthropy leadership asked the community what our local youth need to be successful in school and beyond. They searched for answers by talking to various key contacts in youth services and education to hear their experiences and ideas, as well as recommendations for who else could provide insight. As these conversations
progressed, we became increasingly convinced that our goal for the Power of 50 for
Education could be achieved.
These conversations sparked the convening of a community meeting in South
Deschutes County. Representatives from the schools including principals, counselors,
and teachers; community and government agencies, area nonprofits, parents and local
business owners all met to brainstorm ideas.
The community stakeholders were inspired to come together to form a collaborative to address these educational gaps. Excitement grew with the thought of our $50,000 seed money supporting expansion by existing service providers as well as bringing new providers to our community.
The newly formed South County Collaborative: A New Initiative to Support and
Empower the At-risk Youth in Our Community is the recipient of the Power of 50 for
Education grant to attract these programs to our community in the new year.
Due to the great response and interest within the SRWC in our local youth
carrying school success with them into the future, we are continuing the fund forward.
“The Power of Education” will be our investment in continuing the progress of improving
the lives of youth in our community.
