NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS | October 21, 2016 | PAGE 9
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Kids’ Chance scholarship recipients from left to right are Zsofika Wigney,
Randi Johnston and Kayla Johnston. In the back is Bob Shiprack, president
of the Kids’ Chance board of directors.
Kids’ Chance gives scholarships to
kids of fatally injured workers
Kids’ Chance of Oregon, a non-
profit that provides post-sec-
ondary and trade school schol-
arships to children of Oregon
workers who have been se-
verely or fatally injured in a
workplace accident, handed out
scholarship awards Sept. 27 at a
fundraiser auction and recep-
tion. Since its formation three
years ago, the program has
awarded $64,550 in scholar-
ships.
From 2010 to 2014, there
were 136 fatal occupational in-
juries in Oregon. Another 69
workers suffered injuries that re-
sulted in permanent disability,
taking them out of the work-
force. There are no records of
how many children were af-
fected, but it was reported that
in 2013, the average age of the
fatalities was 42 years old — the
prime years of parenthood.
“These types of events can
profoundly impact families. The
likelihood that they cannot af-
ford further education after high
school increases significantly,”
said Bob Shiprack, president of
the board of directors of Kids’
Chance of Oregon. “Kids’
Chance makes it possible for
more students to continue their
education.”
Scholarship recipient Zsofika
Wigney attested to that at the
awards reception. Wigney, who
has Tourette’s syndrome and as-
pergers, lost her father to a
workplace accident in 2012.
With help from Kids’ Chance,
she attends Clark Honors Col-
lege at the University of Ore-
gon. Her major is English, but
she hopes to someday go to
medical school.
“Because of Kids’ Chance, I
have no loans to worry about,”
Wigney said. “Thank you for
taking a chance on me. I prom-
ise not to let you down.”
Oregon is the 27th state with
a Kids’ Chance chapter. Its 12-
member board of directors is
comprised primarily of profes-
sionals with experience in work-
ers’ compensation-related indus-
tries. In addition to Shiprack, a
retired executive director of the
Oregon State Building Trades
Council, labor is represented on
the board by Bob Tackett, exec-
utive secretary-treasurer of the
Northwest Oregon Labor Coun-
cil.
Shiprack and Tackett encour-
age Oregon labor unions to be-
come more involved in Kids’
Chance of Oregon and to help
raise funds for future scholar-
ships.
For more information about
Kids’ Chance of Oregon, visit
their website at www.kid-
schanceoforegon.com.
This year’s scholarship recip-
ients are:
• Ariannah Jimenez: $11,700,
University of Oregon
• Zsofika Wigney: $6,250,
Clark Honors College/
University of Oregon
• Kayla Johnston: $4,630,
Lower Columbia College
• Randi Johnston: $4,200,
Lower Columbia College
• Alannah McMaster: $3,000,
Mt. Hood Community College
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