Scholarships go to students helping to prevent drug and alcohol abuse

 Three graduating high school seniors from North Central Washington are the 2009 recipients of scholarships from the Andrew York Memorial Lineman Rodeo.

Scholarships of $1,000 each were awarded to:  Aubrey Abbott of Cashmere High School,
Katie Fergus, Okanogan High School; and Kelsey Harding, Manson High School. The funds are managed by the Greater Wenatchee Community Foundation and raised by the annual lineman rodeo held in Wenatchee.

“Each one of these young women is an outstanding student and a big contributor to their community,” said Sarah DeLozier, a board member for the lineman rodeo and a member of the scholarship selection committee. “We had many strong candidates, but these three had commitment and passion for stopping drug- and alcohol-abuse that set them apart.” 

It is the mission of the Andrew York Memorial Lineman Rodeo to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving. In five years the memorial event has given more than $11,000 in scholarships for high school seniors active in preventing drug and alcohol abuse. The event honors Chelan County PUD journeyman lineman Andrew York who died in 2000 from injuries suffered on the job when he was hit by a drunken driver.

Abbott, from Cashmere, has personal experience with the grief of a death caused by a drunken driver. She has spoken to incoming freshmen about the impacts of drinking and driving. She also wrote a proposed bill to increase sentencing guidelines for vehicular homicide and is working with local state legislators on its passage into law. Abbott has a 3.14-plus grade point average (GPA).

Fergus was active in many high school activities and graduated with a 4.0 GPA from Okanogan High School. As a member of Teens Against Tobacco Use (TATU) she spoke  to elementary school students about the dangers and risks of drugs and alcohol.

Harding, from Manson, is also strong student, taking many advanced classes and finishing with a 3.94-plus GPA. As a sophomore, she created and presented a drug- and alcohol-abuse prevention assembly for middle school students.

The 2009 Andrew York Memorial Lineman Rodeo starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, in Wenatchee’s Walla Walla Point Park on the Columbia River and offers free, family fun for spectators. The rodeo is sponsored by Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan PUDs and IBEW Local 77.