RLS Productions’ Concerts in the Gardens series supports WVC students

The Wenatchee Valley College Foundation received $11,500 in contributions raised during the 2018 season of the RLS Productions’ Concerts in the Gardens™. The RLS Productions series is a five-week summer concert series held annually through July and early August at Ohme Gardens in Wenatchee, Wash. This is the fifth year that Robert and Catherine (Rio) Sandidge, founders and owners of the concert series, have presented the WVC Foundation with a contribution for WVC students.

Support comes from direct donations, ticket sales and sponsors of the concert series. RLS Productions set a goal in 2014 of raising $35,000 to endow a scholarship for the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation.

 In their fifth year, the RLS Productions endowment account, which supports local students, now totals $27,000. And the annual scholarships awarded now to date total $14,000. “Rio and I are happy to announce that after the 2018 RLS Productions’ Concerts in the Gardens summer series, a total of $41,000 has been raised for the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation since the series began,” Robert Sandidge said. “This would not have been possible without the help of our sponsors, supporters, volunteers, our RLS stage crew, the new Ohme Gardens events team headed up by Nena Howell, and the summer series bands and guests visiting our Wenatchee Valley and Ohme Gardens every year.”

 A portion of this year’s annual contribution was made possible by support from Dennis and Beth Dobbs, owners of Horan Estates Winery in Cashmere and another anonymous local couple. “An education is an amazing gift,” the Dobbs’ said. “The WVC Foundation is an asset in our community. We want those opportunities to continue to be available. Our love of music, continued support of our community and the annual scholarships that arise from RLS Productions’ Concerts in the Gardens series made this contribution a natural fit.”