Scholarship fund lures $104,930 to honor former governor Guinn
CARSON CITY — More than $100,000 has been donated by 375 people to the state’s Millennium Scholarship program as a tribute to former Gov. Kenny Guinn, the treasurer’s office announced Wednesday.
State Treasurer Kate Marshall announced the Kenny C. Guinn Memorial Millennium Scholarship Fund has received donations of $104,930. A memorial fund was established by former first lady Dema Guinn and her family following the death of the former governor after a fall in July off the roof of their Las Vegas home.
Guinn pushed for the establishment of the scholarship during the 1999 session. Under the program, students who achieve a 3.25 grade point average, meet other qualifications and graduate from a Nevada high school can receive as much as $10,000 to cover tuition costs to Nevada colleges and universities.
Later named in his honor by the Legislature, the Gov. Guinn Millennium Scholarship Program has served more than 60,000 Nevada high school graduates. Currently, nearly 23,000 students are receiving funding from the program.
With the consent of the Guinn family, Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, is sponsoring a bill to allow use of the donated funds to assist Millennium scholars majoring in education or secondary education with costs not covered by the scholarship.
Others wishing to donate can send checks to the State Treasurer’s Office, 101 N. Carson Street, Suite 4, Carson City, NV 89701; or go to any Wells Fargo Bank and make a donation to the Kenny C. Guinn Memorial Millennium Scholarship Fund, account 1710741958.
Contact reporter Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.