MRAA Educational Foundation sets $20,000 fundraising goal

MINNEAPOLIS — The MRAA Educational Foundation has set a goal of raising $20,000 in 2014 to provide financial support for education, training and professional development in the recreational marine trades.

So far, the not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation has raised $7,400. In order to continue to offer the growing number of scholarships and awards the foundation provides to train men and women studying to become marine technicians, service employees working to expand their skills, dealership managers and owners seeking to improve and grow their businesses, and industry leaders striving to create a stronger marine industry, more than $12,000 will need to be raised in November and December.

“As the industry has begun to recover from the recession, finding qualified employees to support their growth has been a big challenge for many marine dealers,” says Liz Walz, executive director for the foundation. “The foundation can help by providing financial support to students who are training for careers in the boating business and dealership employees interested in furthering their education.”

During the upcoming 2014 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 16-19 in Orlando, Fla., the foundation will hand out nine scholarships and awards that together represent $34,120 in technical training and professional development. They include the following programs:

• Three MRAA Technical Scholarships, which are awarded to marine schools that train students for careers in the marine industry
• Two ABYC Scholarships, which cover the tuition for one recipient to attend ABYC’s Introduction to Basic Marine Electric & Corrosion Protection and for another recipient to attend one of ABYC’s Certification Courses
• The Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship, which covers the tuition for one recipient to attend Spader Business Management’s Leadership Development Program
• Two Kevin Lodder Scholarships, which covers the tuition and provides a travel stipend for each recipient to attend Spader Business Management’s Total Management Workshop
• The Darlene Briggs Woman of the Year Award, which is presented to an outstanding woman who is actively involved in the marine industry

To learn more and donate to the MRAA Educational Foundation, click here. For additional information about the foundation, contact Liz Walz at 315-692-4533 or liz@mraa.com.