$1 million, one lunch at a time: Pie tasting celebrates scholarship lunch program

  • May 1, 2018
  • CWU

It all started 45 years ago when Ellensburg’s Ruth Harrington invited 22 women to her house and presented a simple idea: form lunch groups to raise money for Central Washington University scholarships.

People from the university and the community would come together regularly to share a meal and everyone would contribute $1.50.

“Everybody said the college people and the town people don’t get along, so I said, ‘I’m going to fix that,’” said Harrington, who was married to a university administrator. “Out of those 22 people, we started three groups that first year and we made more than $2,000, so it grew from there.”

Read more of this story in the Daily Record.

 

CWU News

YVC President Teresa Rich and CWU President Jim Wohlpart celebrate their MOU signing on May 26

New partnership between CWU and YVC to enhance four-year degree pathways

June 3, 2026 by

CWU alum Nolan Teasley

CWU alum named GM of Minnesota Vikings

June 3, 2026 by

More News

Additional Resources