Jake & Josh Eckstein Memorial Trade Scholarship fundraising effort raises three times their goal

Fund honors brothers killed in 2019 crash, offers vocational scholarships for training in the trades

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Supporters of the Jake and Josh Eckstein Memorial Trade Scholarship Fund were hoping to raise $20,000 in a recent campaign. Word came Friday that they ended up raising triple that amount.

“We actually blew that away and we ended up $41,000 over our goal, for a total of just over $61,000 that went into our fund." said Jake and Josh's dad, Scott Eckstein.

Back in December, Harcourts the Garner Group Real Estate has partnered with area restaurants and the Discovery West Builders Guild to raise funds for the Josh and Jake Eckstein Memorial Trade Scholarship Fund, named for two brothers killed in a 2019 crash on the Powell Butte Highway.

The Ecksteins chose to create a vocational scholarship, as both of their sons were pursuing careers in the trades before they passed away. It supports Central Oregon graduates of high schools in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties seeking training in all the construction, mechanical and technical trades (CTE).

"Jake had gone to a trade school to become a lineman," said the brothers' mom, Phyllis Eckstein. "He ended up going to work for Taylor Northwest. Two years into working there, he helped his younger brother Josh get a job there, and they both loved it.”

 Erica Davis, co-owner of Harcourts The Garner Group, said, "Kids are our passion. And granted, the trades go right along with what we do as a business. So it's it's just actually been kind of a win-win for us this year."

Local trade companies such as Building Solutions and Taylor Northwest say it's been difficult to recruit high school graduates directly into the workforce.

Building Solutions General Manager Tim Fife said, "To get people, young people into the trades is an exciting thing. To see something take off, because we do not see, you know, people out of high school or the trades even apply for work."

Taylor Northwest President Chad Swindle said, "There's a misconception that they need to go into more of a professional type career, to be able to retire some day, to be able to raise a family and to be able to go on vacations. What this foundation is doing is going to allow kids to understand that there is a career to be had in the trades."

The Ecksteins have already given out one scholarship, but it is not too late to apply to the next. The deadline is April 1st.

For more information about who qualifies for this scholarship and how to apply, visit the Oregon Community Foundation’s website: www.oregonstudentaid.gov/scholarships or call The Scholarships Team (503) 227-6846 or email scholarships@oregoncf.org.