Ben Plucknett Charitable Trust Gives More Than $11,000 to American Indian College Fund

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Apr 30, 2010, 08:03 ET

DENVER, April 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Indian College Fund received a gift of more than $11,000 from the Boise, Idaho-based Ben Plucknett Charitable Trust.

Jan DeRoin, Mr. Plucknett's sister and a trustee of the trust, says the trust was established by her mother in honor of her son, who predeceased her by one year. Mrs. Plucknett worked with DeRoin to choose a donor who helped meet educational needs in the American Indian community, particularly on reservations. "Ben was very interested in American Indian culture, and although he was not Native American, he had many Native American friends. He was also interested in education and health care," DeRoin says. Her mother wanted the beneficiary of the trust to be an American Indian organization because of Mr. Plucknett's friends and interests, and DeRoin and the other trustees chose the American Indian College Fund because of its educational focus and "the Fund has a high rating as a charitable organization, is run by American Indians, and its administrative costs are low so the maximum benefits go to American Indians."

The gift was added to the Bea Arthur Scholarship Fund established this year because of its matching gift provision, said Chris Ode, the manager of the trust and Wealth Management Director at Wells Fargo Private Bank.

The American Indian College Fund supports qualified American Indian scholars by providing financial support to encourage them to remain in college and complete a college degree. "Individuals like the Plucknetts are providing gifts that serve as an amazing legacy to them. They are helping American Indians to achieve an education, thereby providing hope to American Indians, their families, and communities that will endure for generations," said Richard B. Williams, President and CEO of the Fund.

About the American Indian College Fund

With its credo "Educating the Mind and Spirit," the Denver-based American Indian College Fund is the nation's largest provider of private scholarships for American Indian students, providing more than 6,000 scholarships annually for students seeking to better their lives and communities through education at the nation's 33 accredited tribal colleges and universities. For more information about the American Indian College Fund or to make a donation, visit www.collegefund.org.

SOURCE American Indian College Fund