Chaska Parks and Recreation Scholarship Fund
in honor of Nick Mason
The Purpose
The purpose of the fund is to help low income families or those with special needs to support their participation in the City of Chaska's Park and Recreation programs/services or to purchase equipment that allows for more inclusive participation. Equipment supported by this fund would be purchased by the Chaska Parks and Recreation Department and used for group programming.
Eligibility Criteria
Participant must be a resident of Chaska or Carver
Participant must meet one of the following criteria:
- Option 1:
Participate in at least one of the following programs (must provide documentation):
- County financial assistance, such as SNAP, Medical Assistance and MFIP
- Social Security Disability - Option 2:
If you have a financial hardship due to at least one of the following reasons, please provide a brief description of this hardship.
- An unexpected circumstance such as medical expenses or loss of job
- Additional expenses related to supporting someone with special needs (ex. staffing costs, therapy costs, specialized equipment)
Eligibility Benefit
Eligibility allows for 50% off program fees. The remaining 50% of the program fee must be paid at the time of registration. Max: $100 per person; $300 per family (per year).
Examples of Eligible Programs:
- Skate lessons
- Swim lessons
- Youth sports
- Art classes
Exclusions
- Special Events
- School Age Childcare/Preschool
- Program less than $10
- Birthday Parties
- Facility or Park Shelter Rentals
- Adult League Registrations
- Trips/Travel
- Private Lessons or Training
- Daily Fees
- Memberships
Funds
Funding for this scholarship program is provided by individual, community and corporate donations. In the event that the scholarship fund is depleted, scholarships may not be available until additional funds are received.
Apply for Scholarship
Online Application for Scholarship
Application for Scholarship (PDF)
Application for Scholarship Spanish (PDF)
Once an application has been received, the Parks and Recreation Department will contact you to register for programs. Call 952-448-5633 for more information.
Donate to the Chaska Parks and Recreation
Scholarship Fund
Make a tax-deductible donation online.
Nick Mason served on the Chaska Park Board for seven years with a passion to help improve the quality of life for the community. As a journalist, Nick's first major newspaper assignment in the late 1960's was covering school desegregation in Western New York. He quickly took note that the children did not have a voice and made sure to provide their perspective in his newspaper coverage. Providing the underserved a voice as he continued to cover education, national politics and human-interest stories became one of his guiding principles and he often said, "everyone deserves a chance."