Rent-to-own News - KLQ golf tourney wraps another successful round

Matthew Webber is a 2011 KLQ Scholarship recipient. He will attend Brigham Young University.

Close to 150 golfers from across the rent to own spectrum made their way to the Hawk's Prairie Golf Club in Tacoma, Washington Thursday, for the 7th annual KLQ Dan Quinn and James Webber Memorial Golf Tournament and Auction.

The event is the primary fundraiser for a home grown scholarship program that for the past six years has awarded between seven and nine individual $4,000 scholarships to students who live in Washington state.

The event was a reunion of sorts for the golfers, many of whom are friends and associates of Kevin and Angela Quinn who own 17 Quality Rentals in Washington who cross the country each year to participate. The Quinns are brother and sister-in-law, respectively of the late Dan Quinn, after whom the KLQ Foundation and Golf Tournament were inspired. Photos.

The foundation broke from its tradition of awarding seven scholarships per year in 2010, due to successful fundraising at past events, and awarded eight scholarships. This year the foundation awarded nine scholarships. The foundation has awarded 43 scholarships worth close to $200,000 over the life of the program.

2011 KLQ Scholarship Winners are as follows:

Matthew Webber, Puyallup
Cristian Cabrera, Centralia
Abigail Kirkwood, Olympia
Katelyn Guinto, Olympia
Amanda Hodges, Graham
Derek DeGraaff, Kelso
Conner Lane, Longview
Nicole McKnight, Puyallup
Anthony Kuse, Mossy Rock

Matthew Webber, 18, has volunteered at all seven KLQ tournaments. His father, the late James Webber, a long-time Quality Rentals employee and ardent education supporter, shares the golf tournament's namesake.

This year Matthew was one of the KLQ Scholarship recipients.

"It was an honor to be here as a volunteer, to be a part of something that is also in memory of my father," Matthew Webber said. "I love how people from all over the country have joined in support of this event. It's amazing how big it's gotten. I think my father would be very proud."

Webber plans to attend Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and study civil engineering.

In addition to giving away more scholarships this year, the KLQ Foundation also stepped in to assist students at a local low income elementary school facing drastic budget cuts.

The foundation purchased 175 backpacks,  filled them with essential school supplies and handed them out to students at Daffodil Valley Elementary School in Sumner, Washington.

The foundation spent an additional $6,000 on curriculum-based materials at the school where 79 percent of the students are in the free and reduced lunch program. The foundation purchased instruments for the school's music program, books for classroom "take-home" libraries and math and science manipulatives.

"As a board we decided that, yes, at the secondary level, we were doing a great job," said Shana Watkins, vice president of the KLQ Foundation Board and daughter of Dan Quinn. "But there are so many kids who won't even be prepared to apply for one of our scholarships because they haven't learned the basics and haven't had the tools to learn the basics. If you don't lay the foundation, they won't have anything to build on."

Dennis Hewitt is the father of Kelly Hewitt, a 2010 KLQ Scholarship winner who is currently attending Washington State University.

Hewitt said the scholarship and the opportunities it presented his daughter, were true blessings.

"It's really tough on the middle class right now to afford college, so every little bit helps," said Hewitt who was volunteering at this year's event. "It's really inspiring to know that there are so many people who believe in her (Kelly Hewitt) that they are willing to invest in her to help her fulfill her dreams."

A banquet and lively auction emceed by Kevin Quinn followed the golf tournament. The auction -- always the highlight of the event -- drew competitive bidding on everything from autographed sports memorabilia including Joe Montana and Peyton Manning paintings and photographs to a Roger Federer Tennis Racquet to folk art to items created by foundation supporters including a full size bed quilt from frequent contributor, Kathy Windsor.

See full photo gallery of the event here.