New Scholarship Fund Established to Honor Ralph and Joanne Wamsher's Legacy

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - A new scholarship fund has been established at the Watertown Area Community Foundation to honor the legacy of Ralph and Joanne Wamsher. The Ralph and Joanne Wamsher Scholarship Fund, created by Ralph in memory of his late wife, is designed to support nontraditional students seeking a new start through education.

The scholarship is a reflection of the couple's shared belief in the power of education, a value Joanne held throughout her life, even while living with multiple sclerosis. She often encouraged young people and caregivers to continue their education, a belief shaped by her own mother, who became a licensed practical nurse later in life.

The scholarship is specifically for students who have been out of high school for at least five years, have children, or have faced a life-changing event that led them to pursue a new career path. It is available to nontraditional students in their second year at Lake Area Technical College or Mount Marty University.

"These are people who are looking for a new beginning," Ralph Wamsher stated. "Joanne would have wanted to support that."

According to the Watertown Area Community Foundation, the scholarship's unique eligibility requirements aim to open doors for people who may have thought an education was no longer an option for them.

The Wamshers moved to Watertown in 1996 and were active in the community. Their involvement with Northern Prairie Arts led to a relationship with the foundation, which helped Ralph establish the fund.

For information on contributing to the Ralph and Joanne Wamsher Scholarship Fund or to learn about creating a fund, contact the Watertown Area Community Foundation at 605-882-3731 or visit www.watertowncommunityfoundation.org.