DURANT, OK – Choctaw Travel Plaza raised $42,000 during the first round of fundraising for the Choctaw Travel Plaza Scholarship Fund, which was launched in April.
Choctaw Travel Plaza partnered with Coca-Cola to seed the fund, which will help send local Choctaw tribal students to college or trade school. Community members were able to participate in fundraising by purchasing a commemorative cup, which was available at all Choctaw Travel Plazas across the reservation through June 30.
Over the summer, travelers bought approximately 9,000 cups to help raise $21,000. The Chahta Foundation, Choctaw Nation’s non-profit organization, matched the funds to bring the total to $42,000.
“We are ecstatic about the outcome of our first round of fundraising for the Choctaw Travel Plaza Scholarship Fund,” said Marshall Wright, Senior Director of Corporate Marketing for Choctaw Nation. “Coca-Cola helped us kickstart this fund, community members came out and purchased cups this summer to support students, and the Chahta Foundation helped us finish strong. We’re excited to start awarding scholarships and making more of an impact in our communities.”
With Coca-Cola’s initial donation to the Choctaw Travel Plaza Scholarship Fund, three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded this summer to local high school students with plans to create an even bigger impact in the coming years.
“Choctaw Travel Plazas are a long-standing partner in our communities, and we’re thrilled to be able to invest in the future of students in those communities,” said Wright. “We look forward to expanding the number of scholarships available next year.”
