Gesa scholarship applications open
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 9 months AGO
The Gesa Credit Union branch in Moses Lake. Gesa has announced it will give away $150,000 is scholarships this year.
JOEL MARTIN/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | December 9, 2025 5:22 PM
RICHLAND — Gesa Credit Union is accepting applications for its scholarship program through the end of February, according to Gesa Vice President of Community Impact Brandon Allison. The credit union plans to award $150,000 to students at various stages in their education.
“This is part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing our members’ lives within the communities we serve,” Allison said. “We have been offering some sort of scholarship component and programs since 1987, which has really allowed us to afford over $1.2 million back to our members.”
The credit union will award $34,000 to 14 high school seniors who are entering college for the first time, according to a statement from Gesa.
“We will have two $5,000 President’s Choice and 12 $2,000 scholarships,” Allison said.
Many scholarship programs concentrate on those seniors starting their college careers, Allison said, but Gesa supports three other categories of students as well. Students who have already been in college, whether they’re undergraduates, going to grad school or even have had to take a break from education for a while will see $26,000 in scholarships.
“They just need to be enrolled in an accredited college, university or trade school as a full-time student for the upcoming school year,” Allison said.
The third category is for students who have participated in Gesa’s High School Credit Union program. That program, Allison explained, allows a high school to partner with Gesa to set up a completely student-run credit union inside the high school. The students get real-world experience and credit at the same time, Allison said. Gesa has set aside $80,000 for those students who participate in that program and are guaranteed the scholarships.
The fourth category is for the growing demographic of students who have taken on a load of student debt and can use a little help getting out from under it.
“Any member who has an active student loan can submit a scholarship application and we will award five $2,000 scholarships to those members to make a direct principal-only payment to their student loan,” Allison said.
The scholarships are limited to members of Gesa Credit Union, but membership is as simple as opening a savings or checking account at any branch, Allison said.
Gesa Credit Union, based in Richland, has 45 locations in Washington, including a branch in Moses Lake, according to its website.
“I think my favorite part of this process is, every year we hear inspiring stories from applicants who are working hard to reach their goals, and they just need these funds to continue that education and achieve their ultimate career goal,” Allison said.
Applications will be accepted through Feb. 28, 2026. For more information or to apply, visit https://www.gesa.com/category/scholarships.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Quincy National Night Out scales down
QUINCY — Quincy’s National Night Out was more compact this year, which worked out well, said QPD Sgt. Joe Westby, who’s in charge of event planning for the Quincy Police Department. “National Night Out is a big event, and the fact that we’re able to shrink it up is like a breath of fresh air,” Westby said. “If you're always doing the same thing, it's kind of nice to switch things up and see how it works.” National Night Out took place Thursday on the block of C Street next to the police station, a shift from previous years when it was held at Lauzier Park. The smaller space meant fewer emergency vehicles for children to explore, but it also meant less walking for attendees. Grant County Fire District 5 brought a fire truck, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office had a patrol boat. Renew, the Grant County behavioral health agency, had a booth and so did Quincy Partnership for Youth. Veterans Operation Creation sang the national anthem, and the Quincy Animal Shelter brought kittens that piled over each other making friends with passersby. As before, the QPD served grilled hot dogs.
Quincy Police retirements leave big shoes to fill
QUINCY — There are some big shoes to fill at the Quincy Police Department. “We’re losing 48 years of experience between them,” Quincy Police Chief Ryan Green said at the retirement party for Capt. Jorge Trujillo and Det. Damon Powell Thursday. Trujillo, who grew up in Sunnyside, has been with QPD for 19 years, he said, coming on as a patrol officer fresh out of the military. From there he served as a field training officer, a detective and finally captain. “I consider him my left-hand man,” Green said. “He runs the operations side of the house … He knows the agency very well, and he knows the community.” Trujillo has some projects around the house to tackle now that he’s retired, he said.
Big fun on a small scale
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair opens Thursday
RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities’ Fair isn’t as big or as flashy as some of the county fairs around central Washington, but the folks who keep it going like it just the way it is. “It’s somewhere you can go and get an old-time traditional feeling, and you’re comfortable letting your kids roam the grounds and experience all that it has to offer,” said Board Member Lori Williams. “It’s more of a feeling than (one) specific thing,” The fair starts Thursday in Ritzville and runs through Sunday. Starting Friday, the 56th Ritzville Rodeo will take place alongside the fair at the rodeo grounds. This year the entertainment budget was expanded, Williams said, to be able to offer more fun that’s covered by the cost of admission. For the kids, there’s face painting, balloon art, Lego crafts, races, contests and games. Children can also ride on a little train towed around the fairgrounds behind a tractor.