Family members and friends created the Russell & Audrienne Claar Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund as a tribute to their productive lives, love of education, and commitment to the Tri-Cities. The scholarship assists needy students at CBC. Audrienne and Russell Claar had deep roots in Washington;
Audrienne graduated from WSU in 1943 with a BA in Education, was a high school educator and then a middle school counselor until her retirement in 1982. Russell graduated from WSU in 1942 with a BS in Architectural Engineering. The couple settled in Richland in 1949 where they worked while homesteading a farm unit, then moved to Bellevue in 1962. In 1982, the couple returned to the Tri-Cities to develop their farms into an orchard and vineyard. The first eight acres planted eventually became a part of Claar Cellars Winery, which now has over 120 acres of premium vineyards and produces award-wining premium wines.