Ewa Tourney Aids Scholarships

Rotary Club of Kapolei is at it again, trying to raise scholarship funds for aspiring college students from West Oahu.

This time, the club is doing it with a brand-new event: The Drive for Scholarships golf tournament set for March 14 at Hawaii Prince Golf Club in Ewa Beach.

Through the tournament, the club aims to raise enough to provide $1,000 scholarships to 15 high school students. It will consider students from Kapolei, Nanakuli, Campbell and Waipahu high schools.

“We have two basic criteria for the students who apply for our scholarships: We have to see evidence of high academic achievement as well as heavy involvement in community-service projects,” explained Rotarian Marietta Bustamante, who is organizing the tournament with members Joel Johnson, Christina Enoka, Barbara Lum Lee and Natasha Clarin.

“Other than raising $15,000 in scholarship money, a key goal is to help make college more affordable for aspiring college students from West Oahu by providing financial aid to support their pursuit of higher education,” Bustamante said.

The event was designed by the club as a way to replace its popular Taste of Kapolei, a fundraising culinary event that the club had sponsored for more than a decade. Attendance had skyrocketed in recent years beyond the club’s capacity.

Participants must register for the tournament by Feb. 28. Teams can range from two to four players.

For more information and to register, email Bustamante at mariettab@hawaii.rr.com.