DARREL HENDRICKSON
Darrel Hendrickson, formerly of Colfax, passed away in February 2016. Community was a very important part of Darrel's life. That love for his community is now being shared through a generous gift he bequeathed to the school district. This gift of $4,500,000 will be used to award scholarships to graduates of Richland #44 for many years.
The Richland #44 Foundation was created to manage and award these funds. Scholarships will be given in the name and loving memory of Lauritz and Marie Hendrickson, Betty Hendrickson, and Darrel Hendrickson.
While the right words are hard to come up with for a gift of this magnitude, the Richland #44 School District, along with the school board, want to express how grateful they are for this overwhelmingly generous gift that will help many students in their educational endeavors. Darrel's kind heart and love for children and education are very evident in this lasting legacy.
Since 2019, every graduating senior who spends at least three years at Richland #44 High School receives a $10,000 scholarship courtesy of a generous gift from the late Darrel Hendrickson and the Richland #44 Foundation.
Hendrickson, a local farmer, passed away in 2016. In his will, he included a gift to support the community and education.
“Darrel gave to the city of Colfax, the local church, and $4.5 million toward investing in this city’s education,” Richland #44 Foundation president Megan Kummer said. “That led to the creation of the foundation and allowed us to think about how we could truly make an impact in the lives of students.”
When allocating the funds, the foundation wanted to honor the versatile interests and career paths that students have the opportunity to pursue. Trade school or university, local or coastal, graduates receive the scholarship.
“Any type of post-secondary education, as long as it’s accredited,” Gandhi said when referring to how the scholarship can be used. “Individuals going to the military are able to defer the scholarship (until a later time), and it can also be used toward graduate school.”
“Ten thousand dollars is a meaningful gift, whether a student is going to a tech school or getting their Ph.D,” Kummer said. “It’s truly life-changing.”
