BANDIT SCHOLAR AMANDA STAHLE ENJOYS ACADEMIC SUCCESS
"We at the River Bandits are all very proud of Amanda's early academic and athletic success," said Bandits owner Dave Heller. "She has proven to be very deserving of the scholarship with her success in her first semester and her dedication to bettering herself and her community. I have no doubt that Amanda will continue to enjoy great success in the future and go on to do great things, and we are delighted that we can help through our Bandit Scholars program."
The River Bandits established the Bandit Scholars program in 2008 and the Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship in the summer of 2009. With the winner selected by a committee comprised of Keith's widow, Jennifer, his mother, Tonie, and various other friends, co-workers, River Bandits executives and family members, the scholarship is designed to cover the first year of tuition to the University of Iowa for one Quad City area student and a summer internship with the River Bandits.
This past year's scholarship reflected the beginning of the Bandit Scholars program. Bandit Scholars was founded by River Bandits owners Dave Heller and Bob Herrfeldt and is funded by the team, in part through fan donations and fund-raising efforts by the River Bandits. The Lucier Scholarship is named for former River Bandit assistant general manager, Keith Lucier, who passed away suddenly in April, 2009 from a brain aneurysm at the age of 35.
Lucier was a graduate of Bettendorf High School and the University of Iowa. He was known for being an avid sports fan who fondly recalled his days as an offensive lineman for the Bettendorf Bulldogs when they won the state title in 1991. In addition to the River Bandits, his favorite teams were the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Chicago Cubs.
"It's great to see the success that Amanda is already having at the University of Iowa," said River Bandits general manager Kirk Goodman. "She was very deserving of this scholarship and she has set a high standard for all future recipients. We are thrilled to continue this program and we're eager to begin the process of selecting the recipient of the second-annual Keith Lucier Memorial Scholarship."
Applications for the scholarship are now being accepted through this April and are open to all incoming freshmen at the University of Iowa who reside in the Quad Cities metro area. The scholarship winner will be announced in May of each year and honored at a River Bandits game. Seniors who attend a Scott County high school are eligible to apply, and applications can be obtained through high school counselors or by sending an email to [email protected].
UP NEXT: With 2011 now on the calendar, fans can lock-in seats now for this summer's campaign. Season ticket packages are on sale now for just a $50 per seat deposit. A season ticket package is the best way to secure tickets to the 2011 Midwest League All-Star game that will be held at Modern Woodmen Park on June 21, 2011. Follow the River Bandits all offseason online at RiverBandits.com.
ABOUT THE BANDITS: The Quad Cities River Bandits opened the 2010 season by unveiling their brand new state-of-the-art field, and over the course of the season added a number of new improvements, including a new children's playground, new concession stands for both adults and children in the team's Picnic Plaza, a new "triple-suite" for small groups on the suite level, and a new group area just beyond the right-field fence. The coming 2011 season not only features the Midwest League All-Star Game right here in the Quad Cities, but also a number of spectacular new improvements to the ballpark that fans will not want to miss. Season and group ticket deposits for 2011 are currently being accepted, for more information call (563) 3-BANDIT or logon to RiverBandits.com.