Columbia REA Welcomes Recipients of 2025 Legacy Grants

On January 27, 2026, the Columbia Rural Electric Association (REA) made a major investment in the future of its service area, awarding 3 local organizations $250,000 each through its Legacy Grant program. The presentation, held before community members and organizational leaders, marked both a celebration of local impact and the intentional redistribution of long-held funds back into the communities they were designed to serve.

In total, 35 organizations applied for Legacy Grant funding. After a thorough review process led by the Columbia REA Board of Directors, 3 projects were selected, each with a strong physical, long-term benefit to the community. Community Relations Manager Doug Case presented ceremonial checks at the event, with recipients receiving their full grant payments the same day.

“I want to point out the hard work that the Board of Directors did in this process,” Case said during the presentation. “We had 35 applications, and you folks that are the recipients should feel really good about your projects.”

A Legacy Rooted in Community Development

The Legacy Grant funds come from a Washington state small business development program created more than 20 years ago. Columbia REA participated in the program by providing small business loans as a way to reinvest tax dollars locally. In recent years, demand for those loans declined, prompting the Columbia REA Board to end its participation.

State tax rules require the remaining funds to be used solely for community development, which led to the creation of the Legacy Grant program. The grant focused on projects with lasting, physical infrastructure components.

“This is a 1-time grant,” said Jay DeWitt, Columbia REA Board President. “We felt like it was time to get the money out there where it could do some good.”

Investing in Youth, Arts, & Opportunity

1 recipient, Starbuck School District, will use its $250,000 award to replace aging playground equipment that has served students for decades.

“When we applied for the grant, we came at it from the area of creating a new playground,” said Mark Pickel, principal of the Starbuck School District. “The existing playground has served its purpose, and it’s time for an upgrade.”

The Burbank Wrestling Club plans to use its funding to build or acquire a larger, updated facility to better serve its 50 to 60 student athletes.

“It’s been a long-term goal of ours to build toward a larger building,” said club president Josh Reardon, who also teaches at Burbank Elementary School. “Our current wrestling room doesn’t hold everything we need, and we want to help grow the sport of wrestling here in Burbank. I’m just really appreciative that they even considered us.”

The 3rd grant went to Walla Walla Summer Theater, which is leading the restoration of the long-dormant Fort Walla Walla Amphitheater. Closed since 2013, the outdoor venue has been a nostalgic landmark for generations of residents.

“When we saw the word ‘legacy,’ we thought it really was the definition of this project. The theater is something that so many people in Walla Walla have nostalgia for, and this money will live on in perpetuity because of this support,” said Walla Walla Summer Theater executive artistic director Tyson Kaup.

While the Legacy Grant program will conclude once the remaining funds are distributed, Columbia REA leaders emphasized that their commitment to community support is far from over. For the 3 recipients and the communities they serve, the impact of these grants will be felt for decades to come.