The pre-game reception was attended by supporters and regents of the universities, Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire and several other elected state and national officials. WAEF executive director Jennifer Witherbee made the Apple Cup Scholarship presentation on behalf of the Foundation. The presentation expressed pride in the industry and its exceptional commitment to education, sharing that it in total the tree fruit industry's charity awarded over $425,000 in scholarships in 2011. Additionally, the university presidents were thanked and recognized by WAEF for their leadership steering the highly regarded institutions.
The Washington Apple Education Foundation fosters educational opportunities, encourages academic excellence and promotes awareness of the values of Washington's tree fruit industry. For more information about the organization, visit www.waef.org or phone (509) 663-7713.