In February, the Washington wine industry lost a friend and respected innovator in the agriculture and grape communities. To honor his legacy, the Albert Don Memorial Scholarship Fund has been created by the Don family at the Washington Wine Industry Foundation.
The Albert Don Memorial Scholarship Fund will annually award one full-time or part-time student at least $3,000 who are pursuing an education in viticulture or wine business management at a 2-year, 4-year or through a certification program. Funding can be used for tuition, books, student fees, child care, and/or room and board.
Vicky Scharlau, Executive Director of the Washington Wine Industry Foundation said, “Albert was a very special man. I envision him shaking his head and saying, ‘you didn’t need to do that’.”
Albert Don was born October 5, 1955 and passed away on February 18, 2021. He was a lifelong resident of Prosser where he went to school and found his wife Karen and, together, raised a family: Jason, Shawna, Jeremy and Chad.
Albert started his career with Wyckoff Farms and stayed for over 30 years while serving on numerous committees and in many organizations in the state. He played the role of not only farmer, but also of innovator with mechanical pruning, hedging, and mechanical thinning practices that led the industry. In 2003, he earned the Washington Winegrowers Association’s “Grower of the Year” award recognizing his demonstrated viticultural skills that provide impact in the vineyard and in the bottle–creating the atmosphere of a perfect grape in the vineyard.
“It’s hard to imagine a better person than Albert,” said the Washington Winegrowers Association in a tribute during their annual meeting, “he was humble, hardworking, willing to do anything for anyone—he had a huge heart and a kind soul. We could all strive to be more like Albert.”
Donations can be made by clicking here:
https://washingtonwinefoundation.org/online-giving/ noting Albert Don Scholarship in the Comments.
Application for the Albert Don Memorial Scholarship Fund is at: www.washingtonwinefoundation.org/scholarships
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The Washington Wine Industry Foundation, a 501(c)(3), brings together partners and facilitates funding to craft sustainable solutions to our industry’s challenges. The Foundation is a place where families can create tax-deductible funds in support of the Washington wine industry.