GECKO NOLS scholarship recipients honored at dinner

Posted Thursday, May 14, 2015 1:00 pm

Photo courtesy Stewart Bellina
GECKO founder Morgan Murri presents students with their scholarships at the recent dinner. This year’s recipients are Teal Lehto, Jacqueline Garcia, Blake Irons and Sam Chronowski.[/caption]

By Kirsten Le Roux

Special to The PREVIEW

On Thursday, May 7, GECKO (Giving Every Child Knowledge of the Outdoors) honored its class of 2015 scholarship recipients. The students, their parents and GECKO volunteers gathered for a dinner and informational meeting regarding their upcoming trips to the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).

Morgan Murri, GECKO founder, presented certificates to each of the recipients, who stood up and gave a brief overview of their upcoming trip and preparations so far. The 2015 scholarships have been awarded to:

• Teal Lehto — Alaska backpacking and sea kayaking, AKX1, June 11 through July 10.

• Sam Chronowski — Pacific Northwest sea kayaking and sailing, July 8 through Aug. 7.

• Jacqueline Garcia — Scandinavian sea kayaking and backpacking, July 2 through July 31.

• Blake Irons — Waddington Range mountaineering, British Columbia, Canada, July 7 through Aug. 8.

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