Wix Filters Awards Scholarships, Prizes To Agricultural Youth

Monday, 12 November 2001

WIX Filters announced today that it has awarded four $1,000 scholarships to students pursuing undergraduate degrees in agricultural mechanics or engineering. The company also awarded $52,672 in box-top redemptions plus five $1,000 prizes to top performing FFA chapters in its 16th annual box-top redemption fundraising program with the National FFA Organization.
Wix Filtration Products is part of Dana Corporation’s Automotive Aftermarket Group (NYSE: DCN) and is a leading manufacturer and distributor of filtration products.
“We are pleased to offer these scholarships toward the education and training of the next generation of agricultural industry leaders,” said Bruce R. Johnston, brand manager for Wix Filtration Products. Winning scholars were chosen based on academic achievement and grade point averages. WIX annually awards four $1,000 scholarships to FAA-member students who pursue undergraduate degrees in agricultural mechanics or agricultural engineering.
This year’s scholarship winners are all Agricultural Engineering majors and include: Terry Keatts of Pomeroy, Wash., attending Washington State University; Marshal McKinley of Waitsburg, Wash., also attending Washington State University; Eric Neer of South Vienna, Ohio, attending The Ohio State University; and Matthew Watkins of Porterville, Calif., attending California Polytechnic State University.

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WIX FILTERS AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS, PRIZES TO AG YOUTH - 2

The box top redemption program, which has provided more than $577,500 in funding to local FFA chapters across the nation since its inception, requires student chapter members to collect box tops from any WIX filters product box from January 1 to April 15 and redeem them for donations from WIX. The donations are used to fund chapters’ operations and activities.
In addition to donations made directly to participating chapters for box tops returned, WIX also rewards five top-performing chapters with an additional $1,000. Four chapters receive the bonus for collecting the most box tops per chapter member while one is rewarded for recording the highest percentage increase in box tops redeemed over the previous year. This year’s top four box tops collected per member winners include: Jackson County Program, Talent, Ore.; University of Alaska Fairbanks Collegiate FFA, Fairbanks, Alaska; Columbia (Hunters) FFA, Hunters, Wash.; and Graceville FFA, Graceville, Fla. The highest percentage increase in box tops collected over last year went to the Robinson FFA program in Waco, Texas.
This year, WIX Filters paid more than $61,672 in box top redemptions, scholarships and additional chapter rewards. “Once again, we are privileged to be able to help America’s leading agricultural youth organization, and to keep our company actively involved in the agricultural community – a community that has played a major role in building Wix Filtration Products over the years,” said Johnston.
“We are deeply appreciative and grateful to WIX for its enduring commitment to FFA and its chapters,” said Jan Ferris, regional director, southeast, for the National FFA Foundation. “The box top redemption and scholarship programs funded by WIX help young people interested in agricultural careers to gain a sense of responsibility, develop a competitive spirit and secure an important head start on furthering their education.”

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The National FFA Organization is the nation’s leading agricultural youth organization. With more than 450,000 members in 7,226 chapters throughout the United States, in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam and Rota, FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of young people by developing their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success.
Since 1939, Wix has been an innovator in filtration products. Wix designs, manufactures and distributes products for automotive, diesel, agricultural, industrial and specialty filter markets. Its product line includes oil, air, cabin interior, fuel, coolant, transmission and hydraulic filters for automobiles, trucks and off-road equipment. Wix Filtration Products is part of Dana Corporation’s Automotive Aftermarket Group, one of the world’s largest independent suppliers to vehicle manufacturers and their related aftermarkets. WIX Filter’s Internet address is www.wixfilters.com.
Dana Corporation is one of the world's largest suppliers of components, modules and complete systems to global vehicle manufacturers and their related aftermarkets. Founded in 1904 and based in Toledo, Ohio, the company operates some 300 major facilities in 35 countries and employs more than 75,000 people. The company reported sales of $12.3 billion in 2000. Dana's Internet address is www.dana.com