CONTACT: Liz Walz; 315-692-4533;  liz@mraa.com

MRAA Educational Foundation Sets $25,000 Fundraising Goal

MINNEAPOLIS, November 14, 2015 — The MRAA Educational Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation, has set a goal of raising $25,000 in 2015 to provide financial support for education, training and professional development in the recreational marine trades.

The funds raised will be directed toward scholarships and awards to train men and women studying to become marine technicians, service employees working to expand their skills, dealership managers and owners seeking to improve and grow their businesses, and industry leaders striving to create a stronger marine industry.

In addition, the foundation is exploring ways it can help the boating business attract high school students and veterans to marine industry careers. 

“Finding qualified employees to support their growth has been a big challenge for many marine dealers,” says Liz Walz, executive director for the foundation. “The foundation is currently working to address this challenge by providing financial support to students who are training for careers in the boating business and dealership employees interested in furthering their education, but we also see an opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of working in the recreational marine industry.” 

During the 2015 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, taking place Nov. 15-18 in Orlando, Fla., the foundation will hand out seven scholarships and awards that together represent $27,325 in technical training and professional development. They include the following programs:

• Two MRAA Technical Scholarships, which are awarded to marine schools that train students for careers in the marine industry.

• Two ABYC Scholarships, which cover the tuition for one recipient to attend ABYC’s Introduction to Basic Marine Electric & Corrosion Protection and another recipient to attend one of ABYC’s Certification Courses.

• The Duane Spader Leadership Development Scholarship, which covers the tuition for one recipient to attend Spader Business Management’s Leadership Development Program.

click here. For additional information about the foundation, contact Liz Walz at 315-692-4533 or liz@mraa.com.

About MRAA Educational Foundation

MRAA.com/Foundation.

About Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

MRAA.com.

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