MP Frank Caputo (L) presenting Cassie McNutt with the King Charles III Coronation Medal in Jan. 2025. (Image Credit: Kent Simmonds/CFJC Today)

By Victor Kaisar

Cassie's SD73 Scholarship

New scholarship to benefit community-minded SD73 students

Jun 14, 2025 | 12:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — The founder of Cassie’s Charity Drive has helped launch a new scholarship for students in the Kamloops-Thompson School District who want to give back to their community.

The Cassie’s Charity and Student Achievement Fund will aim to support students who want to help make a lasting difference, similar to how Cassie McNutt has through her efforts each year to raise money for non-profits in Kamloops.

“I’m really looking forward to that because to be able to give back to people who are my age as well is super huge for me to inspire and continue what I’ve done in that sort of way, McNutt said.

“I’m really, really excited for that. It’s been an amazing journey with it.”

People can now make donations towards the scholarship’s endowment fund, which is being supported by the BC Interior Community Foundation.

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“It’s something that is going to continue forever because it’ll always be running no matter what,” McNutt added. “I’m really looking forward to it continuing. We’re just starting to collect donations, starting off small here and then we’ll see where it goes.”

McNutt told CFJC Today that the goal is to raise $10,000 towards the endowment fund, adding the plan is to then award a $500 scholarship to one Grade 12 student each year.

“It has the chance to grow as the endowment fund increases,” she added. “For instance, if we end up raising $20,000 in the endowment fund we will be able to offer the $1,000 scholarship to two different students in SD73 and so on.”

McNutt’s efforts with Cassie’s Charity Drive – which she began seven years ago at the age of 12 – led to her being named one of the youngest recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medal in January. The annual light up in Dallas has raised more than $260,000 for the Kamloops Hospice Association in the past four years.

“It’s hard for people to start up a big thing like what I’ve done and I definitely don’t expect that from anyone,” McNutt said. “But just even small things giving back, you volunteer at a food bank or something like that, that is what the scholarship is aimed towards.”

You can find more information about the scholarship and the link to donate to the endowment fund here.