Donations to the Millennium Scholarship program in memory of former Gov. Kenny Guinn totaled $4,435 in the first two days after the family announced their desires.
Guinn died last week after a fall from the roof of his Las Vegas home while he was trying to clear pine needs from the home. Memorial services were held this week in Las Vegas for the popular ex-governor.
Guinn's family asked that, instead of flowers or other gifts, people honor his memory with a donation to the Kenny Guinn Memorial Millennium Scholarship program.
The scholarship program managed by the state treasurer's office was created by Guinn and funded by tobacco settlement money the state receives each year. It provides tuition money up to $10,000 for students who graduate from a Nevada high school with a 3.25 grade-point average or better.
But the program has been in financial trouble because of declining tobacco settlement revenues. Its budget was thrown into much more serious financial distress after the Legislature and governor transferred millions in unclaimed property money to the general fund to help cover the state's budget shortfall earlier this year.