The Oregon Tech Foundation is pleased to announce that the William D. Lynch Foundation has committed $6,250 in support of the Running Y Scholarship at Oregon Institute of Technology. Mr. Lynch and his wife Lynelle explained that the gift will match the funds raised by homeowners at the Running Y Ranch earlier this year. Mr. William Lynch, managing partner for CLV Properties LLC, a Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. company that recently purchased Running Y Ranch, is the founder of the William D. Lynch Foundation. Mr. and Mrs. Lynch are dedicated to the long-term success of the resort and building upon its presence and commitment to the local community. They have expressed plans to invest in improvements to the resort and golf course, and are now expanding on that with investments in the future of Oregon Tech students in Klamath County.
 
Running Y Residents Create Scholarship
In 2011, more than 30 couples attended the first “party with a purpose” hosted by several residents of the Running Y. Each couple made a donation to the newly established Running Y Scholarship for Oregon Tech and enjoyed an evening with friends. Since that time, the organizers have made this an annual event and more than $20,000 has been generated to help Oregon Tech students who have overcome life challenges. Those who started the scholarship believe that Oregon Tech enriches the lives of those who live at the Running Y and hope that eventually the scholarship will become a permanent award for deserving students.
 
Anne Ludlow, a former Director of the Oregon Tech Foundation Board and host to the first party, shared her appreciation about the generous match. “Running Y residents appreciate the value of the exceptional academic and athletic strengths of Oregon Tech that contribute to the well-being of our community. We are most thankful for the support of the Lynch Family for their immediate recognition of the university, as well. The Running Y Scholarship started at a local summer party in 2011 and now supports an annual scholarship for a student on the Klamath Falls campus and is well on its way to our original goal of becoming an endowed scholarship, supporting deserving students forever.” 
 
The scholarship is awarded annually and is designated to support a student who demonstrates that they have overcome a challenging home environment, adverse situation or hardship to achieve their educational goals. The scholarship is now in its fourth year of the award. JoAnn Winters from the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program recently has been selected for the upcoming 2014-2015 academic year.
 
Lasting Commitment
Fifty-four homeowners in Running Y invested in the scholarship this year, which provides both immediate funds for a worthy recipient and fund to create an endowed scholarship that will support Oregon Tech students in perpetuity.
 
With the amount raised by homeowners and the matching gift from Mr. Lynch and his wife, the Oregon Tech Foundation is even closer to their goal of developing an endowed fund. Mr. and Mrs. Lynch anticipate even greater success at next year’s party and have already committed to matching the funds raised up to $10,000.
 
“We are very impressed with Oregon Tech and the incredible success rate of their graduates,” said Mr. Lynch. “Such a stellar university is an important component of the community in many ways. At the Running Y, we have directly benefited from the exceptional employees who contribute to our success during their time as students Oregon Tech. We are happy to partner with residents at the Running Y to support such a worthy endeavor.”
 
The Oregon Tech Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that promotes and funds the educational, cultural, charitable, and service functions of the Oregon Institute of Technology.