BALLTOBERFEST to be held at SCHEELS Oct. 16

The Colorado Springs Police Department will join forces with Cat Country 95.1 and Scheels to host the inaugural BALLTOBERFEST on Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will be held at the Colorado Springs SCHEELS, 1226 Interquest Parkway.

“You can make a difference by donating a new sports ball to support CSPD’s PLAY COS,” CSPD said in a news release, “which is aimed at creating more opportunities for positive interactions between police officers and community members in Colorado Springs.”

Through donations, the department will supply each patrol divisions with sports balls (i.e., footballs, soccer balls, basketballs) for officers to keep in their cruisers to give out to kids and teens during their shift. The program also involves sports/giveaway events in which officers interact with numerous young community members through sports and recreation. The overall goal is for this program to become a long-term, ongoing, sports program that will be a permanent fixture in CSPD’s department-wide community outreach efforts for years to come.

CSPD is committed to strengthening the relationship with the community and consistently finding opportunities to connect with the people they serve. Having sports balls in police cars will allow for officers to have brief but very positive interactions with community members by simply giving away sports balls to kids/teens/families. It may also lead to the officer and community member even quickly playing catch before the officer goes to the next call.

PLAY COS has been up and running since January and CSPD officers have already given away nearly 650 balls to local kids and teens. They have also partnered with local community centers, schools and community groups to put on 15 PLAY COS events.

To learn more about PLAY COS, visit: coloradosprings.gov/police-department/page/play-cos.

Colorado high school seniors encouraged to apply for Daniels Scholarship

Applications for the nationally recognized Daniels Scholarship Program are available for high school seniors in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Interested students should visit DanielsFund.org and apply by 4 p.m. Nov. 15.

Now in its 21st year, the program has provided more than $220 million in undergraduate scholarships to about 4,600 students. The goal of the program is to help each Daniels Scholar thrive through college and earn a degree — a step that will ultimately lead to becoming an independent, contributing citizen with a rewarding career who is actively engaged in their community.

The Daniels Scholarship Program provides a four-year college scholarship that is unique to each student and varies depending on their Expected Family Contribution and their choice of school. The scholarship pays up to $25,000 per year toward the student’s unmet need, after applying their EFC, other scholarships and financial aid.

Daniels Scholars may attend any accredited nonprofit college or university in the United States.

Eligibility requirements:

• Be a current high school senior graduating during the 2021-2022 academic year from a high school in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah or Wyoming.
• Be a current resident of one of these four states and a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
• Earn a minimum 3.0 high school GPA (on an unweighted 4.0 scale).
• Earn a minimum SAT Math score of 490 and a minimum Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 490, or a minimum ACT score of 18 in each category (writing score not required). Super scoring is not accepted.
• The applicant’s parent or legal guardian must have an Adjusted Gross Income of $85,000 or less on the 2020 tax return in which the applicant appears. For claimed dependents beyond the applicant, there is an allowance for an additional $5,000 for each dependent or $15,000 for each additional dependent in college full-time.