In 2001, the Greg Merritt Community Scholarship Foundation was established by family and friends to honor the life of Greg Merritt, a prominent local farmer and agri-businessman who died of cancer at the age of 54. Each year, the fund provides thousands of dollars in scholarship to seniors graduating from Crook County High School, with 71 scholarships having been awarded since 2001.
Each year, the Crook County Fair kicks off at 5:00 PM on Wednesday with the Scholarship BBQ. The public is invited to eat and drink under the Pavilion Tent (near the Main Stage). A dinner of tri-tip beef, potatoes, salad, rolls, drinks and dessert is $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12. (Fair admission and parking is free)
Recipients of the 2022 Greg Merritt Scholarships ($1,000 each): Tucker Bonner, Eastern Oregon University; Josephine Kasberger, California State University Northridge; Lauren Papke, Oregon State University; and Elizabeth McCall Woodward, Oregon State University.