Photo Credit: Dr. Pepper

Tipmont REMC member Wesley Boone won a $100,000 scholarship in the Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway. He was one of two finalists to compete in the contest at the Dec. 5 ACC Football Championship Game in Charlotte, N.C.

The contest began earlier this year with Boone submitting a video explaining what he would do with the prize money to help others. Boone’s video explained how he would use the funds to complete his education and continue the mission of Gear Going Global, the non-profit organization he began that provides new and used sports gear for children in developing countries.

At Saturday’s game, Boone and his opponent competed in a timed challenge to land as many footballs as possible in a replica Dr. Pepper bottle. Boone won the challenge with 18.

Boone was inspired to start Gear Going Global after seeing the children in Guatemala kicking rocks instead of soccer balls in the 2012 “Power to the People” documentary about the Indiana electric cooperative linemen as they brought electricity for the first time to three villages in rural Guatemala. The non-profit has delivered sporting goods to children in approximately 15 countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, Central America and South America.

Boone, a Crawfordsville native and a North Montgomery High School graduate, is a sophomore at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis majoring in philanthropic studies. He is also a 2013 Indiana Electric Cooperative Youth Tour alum. Youth Tour is a weeklong civic leadership trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by Indiana’s electric cooperatives.

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