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Rugby pastor pays Dollars for Scholars prize forward

By Sue Sitter - | Oct 30, 2021

Sue Sitter/PCT Officials with Rugby Dollars for Scholars present Rev. John Aerts of Little Flower Catholic Parish with a TV he won by landing a Frisbee in a trash can at a Rugby High football game. From left are Corey Geiszler, vice president of Rugby Dollars for Scholars, Aerts and Andrew Arnston, president of Rugby Dollars for Scholars.

Officials with Rugby Dollars for Scholars presented Reverend John Aerts of Little Flower Catholic Church with a flat screen television at First International Bank and Trust Oct. 20.

Aerts won the TV for landing a Frisbee in a trash can at a Rugby High football game Sept. 10. Rugby Dollars for Scholars holds the Frisbee contests at home football games each year to raise money for the organization. Contestants buy a chance to throw a numbered Frisbee from the stands to the trash can on the football field. If no one lands a Frisbee in the can, the person throwing the disc that lands closest to it wins a portion of the cash raised.

Chad Hager of Dollars for Scholars says the money collected by the organization “goes to help Rugby graduating seniors and returning college students who graduated from the Rugby School District.”

“Since 2003, they’ve given out 423 scholarships in the amount of over $216,000,” Hager said. “Last year, we awarded 55 scholarships.”

Hager said the organization also administers scholarships for family charitable trusts or other charities, helping to streamline the scholarship application process for students.

Aerts said he intended to pay his prize forward to help more students in the community. He will donate the TV to Little Flower Catholic School’s Dine and Bid auction Nov. 12 to raise money for the school.

“It was kind of surprising. I threw it and thought, ‘That might make it.’ Then, it went in,” Aerts said.

Corey Geiszler, vice president for Rugby Dollars for Scholars said, “We haven’t given out very many t.vs. The last time someone made it in the garbage can was 2014.”