Germania Brew Haus, LCCC kicking off scholarship fundraiser
Coffee lovers, get ready to “round up” and be the change by supporting a new Germania Brew Haus Scholarship for Lewis and Clark Community College students.
Beginning Nov. 21, customers will be able to round their purchases to the nearest dollar to benefit the scholarship. The goal is to raise $1,000.
The campaign will kick off from 9 to 11 a.m. at Germania’s Godfrey location this Saturday. The event will feature an appearance by LCCC’s mascot, Blazer the Newfie, and staff from College Radio’s Best WLCA 89.9-FM. Those who come by during the event can even score some free L&C swag.
Germania is a specialty coffee house and craft taproom that opened its first location in Alton in 2017. This year, it opened its second location at Monticello Plaza in Godfrey.
“The community has been so good to us,” said General Manager and Co-Owner Ben Brynildsen. “We wanted to give back.”
Ben co-owns the business with his brother and sister-in-law, Jared and Carolyn Brynildsen, of Waco, Texas.
“Jared and I both attended Lewis and Clark and so have many of our staff,” Ben Brynildsen said “The community is lucky to have a great college in its own backyard and we want to support the students there. We decided to start a $1,000 scholarship for students who share our love for this region and our desire to see it realize its full potential.”
The Brynildens believe in investing in their community. Their scholarship is for like-minded students, especially those who plan to stay, work and live in the area. They’re particularly interested in supporting students who have financial challenges to overcome.
“Everyone should have the chance to go to college and realize their full potential. Lewis and Clark is a great place to start,” Brynildsen said.
“There are so many students out there who have to pay for college out of their own pocket,” he said. “They don’t qualify for full financial aid from the government, or any at all, and they don’t have a giant savings account or parents to foot the bill. I’ve met many people in that position, and the only thing left is student loans. We want to provide another option.”
The scholarship will be available for the 2021-2022 academic year. Applications are being accepted now through March 1 at www.lc.edu/scholarships. To apply, students fill out one online application and are automatically matched to scholarships for which they qualify.
To donate visit the Alton or Godfrey Germania Brew Haus locations, make a purchase and round up, or just drop off a donation. To use PayPal, visit www.lc.edu/foundation and note that it is for the GBH Scholarship, or mail a donation to Germania Brew Haus at 617 Broadway in Alton.
For more information contact Ben Brynildsen through Facebook @GermaniaBrewHaus.
