Local businesses are invited to contribute to the Date Festival Scholarship Program
The organizers of the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival are inviting local businesses to contribute to the Date Festival Scholarship Program to help students.
According to Pickering Events, more than 200 students from Riverside County applied for the Date Festival Scholarship Program, up nearly 900% from last year.
Check Out: 14 students awarded Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival scholarship
Butler Amusements, in collaboration with Pickering Events LLC announced they will award $20,000 in scholarship funding for qualifying high school seniors in the Class of 2024.
“With such an overwhelming response, we’re hoping some other businesses in Riverside County will decide to step up and match Butler Amusment’s donation of $10,000,” said Chris Pickering, CEO of Pickering Events. “This is an opportunity to really help students who exemplify what our community is all about.”
Pickering Events and Butler Amusements each contributed $10,000 to the Scholarship Fund. Now they hope others will do the same.
Each $10,000 donation will award 5 students much-needed help with their college expenses. All donations will directly fund student scholarships with no overhead; payments from the scholarship fund are made directly to recipients’ schools.
Evaluators had intended to notify all finalists by January 26, 2024, but because of the overwhelming response, they will need an extra day.
“We’re so excited that we could reach so many students across the county, but we just need a little more time to review everyone’s application,” said Pickering.
Senior students who are residents of Riverside County were invited to apply for the scholarship program with applications due January 22, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. To be eligible, they needed a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 and to submit a 500-word essay on “The Importance of Community”. Finalists will participate in panel interviews on February 3 and 4, 2024.
“We are delighted to continue supporting local scholarships in Riverside County,” said Sean Butler, Chief Operating Officer of Butler Amusements, one of the largest carnival companies in the Western United States. “Our founder Butch Butler believed in investing in our youth and preparing them for future success.”
From February 16-25, 2024, The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino takes place at the Riverside County Fairgrounds at 46350 Arabia St., Indio, 92201. For ten days, feature attractions unique to Riverside County will include exhilarating carnival rides, live music, date cooking demonstrations, Blue Ribbon competitions, cute farm animals, and your favorite fair foods.
To purchase tickets, visit www.datefest.org.
