Rancho La Quinta Education Fund Shows Support Student Scholarships

Rancho La Quinta Country Club General Manager Monica Davis (third from left) stands with Rancho La Quinta Education Fund committee members. From left: Steve Arent, Jane LaPado, Callie Sbarbaro, Karen Ackland, and Dick Robinson.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUMMER DAWN

Many Rancho La Quinta Country Club members consider the friendly and attentive country club staff like family. Knowing the value of higher education for themselves and their families, members sought out the Inland Empire Community Foundation as a 501(c)(3) non-profit arm to administer the distribution of funds raised to award needs-based scholarships to Rancho La Quinta Country Club employees, their spouses, and dependent children, for any form of higher education, including college and trade schools.

Since it was established in 2016, the Rancho La Quinta Education Fund has awarded 32 scholarships totaling $190,000, including nine scholarships for the 2021-22 school year. Rancho La Quinta Education Fund Committee members volunteer their time to ensure the program’s success and include Karen Ackland, chair, Callie Sbarbaro, Jane La Pado, Dick Robinson, and Steve Arent.

Scholarship students for the 2021-22 school year are Andrea Hernandez, Christian Hernandez, Christopher Hernandez, Emmanuel Hernandez, Emmanuel Lua, Karina Pechous, Jennifer Salinas, Emily Michelle Sanchez, and Andrew Velazquez. The students’ career goals are varied, ranging from physical therapy, medical, veterinary, criminal justice, cybersecurity, computer science/research to music/theatre and cinematography.

With the recent flurry and turnover of real estate in the desert, Rancho La Quinta Country Club has experienced about a 25 percent influx of new homeowners. The February education fund reception provided an opportunity for new residents to learn about the Rancho La Quinta Education Fund, and for both current donors and new members to meet some of the scholarship students and hear inspiring updates on their studies.

Rancho La Quinta Education Fund
79-301 Cascadas Circle
La Quinta, CA 92253
760-777-7748
rlqma.com/rancho-la-quinta-education-fund/

Nat and Faye Page.
From left: Denisha Shakelford, youth initiatives manager, Inland Empire Community Foundation, with Nancy Robinson and Mary Margaret Sunker.
From left: Chaz and Nancy Polatsek with Gloria and Ken Sargent.
From left: Elaine and Greg Cooper, Carolyn Moffitt, Kathy and Barry Andersen, Gino Sbarbaro, and Harry Moffitt.
From left: Kevin and Louella Hundt with Christy and Dan Smith.
From left: Christian Hernandez, Mary Lou Hicks, Christopher Hernandez, and Eliseo Hernandez.
Glenn and Linda Hayter.
From left: Laurie Cribari with Karen and Doug McColeman.
From left: Tom and Sandy Hageman with Nancy Hoban and Celeste Oliva.
From left: Gary Katz, Lynn and Bill Poland, and Pete Doubleday.
From left: David and Gina Lorati with Brenda and Mike Williams.
From left: Tom and Peg Mitchell with Jan and Gene Blakeslee.
From left: Bianca Pechous with Meredith and Philip Bettencourt.
From left: Bob Pechous, Bianca Pechous, and Sandy Pechous.
Christopher Hernandez at the podium.
From left: Gloria Miranda, Jennifer Salinas, and Steve Arent.
From left: Bianca Pechous (former scholarship recipient), Christopher Hernandez, Christian Hernandez, Andrea Hernandez, Emmanuel Lua, and Jennifer Salinas.

Rancho La Quinta Education Fund Awards Scholarships

• READ NEXT: Women Who Lead 2022: Three Honorees Who Impact the Desert Cities.