The Army of Boomers Scholarship Fund was established by Barry Wachtel of Stelle, Illinois, to assist students with the costs of pursuing further education in vocational training. Students enrolled at the Kankakee Area Career Center in conjunction with their host High School will be eligible to apply. Barry recognizes that college doesn’t have all the answers, and that many students have a strong aptitude and passion for many of the needed vocations. There is a clear gap between trained skilled workers such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, cosmetologists, photographers, etc. and the need for these positions to be filled. It’s also very clear that technology has played a large role in taking away many of the jobs that we currently accept as normal college career options. Trades where you have to touch the mess, taste the dust, and improvise when the plan goes sideways is what he wants to encourage for the future generation.

Join him in becoming the solution to this problem by donating to The Army of Boomers Scholarship Fund! Donate online or send a check by mail. Half of your donation will be applied to the endowed principal to help grow the Fund, with the other half going directly to student awards. Please specify on your donation if you would like it applied differently. 

You can set up recurring donations online or send a monthly donation of as little as $10/month!

Checks can be mailed to: 

Community Foundation of Kankakee River Valley
The Army of Boomers Scholarship Fund
PO Box 72
Kankakee, IL 60901

or 

Donate Online