Destiny Wecks, shown with Opie, will be crowned as Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon during an event at the Elks Lodge in Enterprise on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022.

ENTERPRISE — A Wallowa County woman who has served in numerous capacities as rodeo royalty recently earned a grant from Rascal Rodeo’s Youth Volunteer Program, according to a press release.

Destiny Wecks will be among eight recipients of Rascal Rodeo’s inaugural “Don’t Fence Me In” Youth Volunteer Foundation Grant Program Awards breakfast on Oct. 5 at the Zintel Golf Club in Kennewick, Washington.

The grant program is awarding $6,500 to be divided among the eight recipients, all of whom have volunteered at Rascal Rodeo events.

Wecks, the daughter of Jeffrey and Vixen Wecks, said organizers of the program asked the recipients to not disclose the amount each was receiving.

However, she said, “I will use this grant money to jump-start my business of taxidermy and start education in that area.”

She said the amount she’s receiving turned out to be just right.

“I was so very lucky to be award the perfect amount to attend classes right after I was awarded the money and have been planning out my business plan with the money,” she said.

Wecks, who served as one of the three co-queens for Chief Joseph Days in 2020-21, also has been Miss Rodeo Oregon Sweetheart when she was 5 and 6 years old, Junior Miss Rodeo Oregon in 2015, served on the Wallowa County 4-H Court in 2018-19, was Oregon High School Rodeo first attendant, 2022 Miss Teen Rodeo Oregon and most recently the 2024 Sisters Rodeo Queen.

Rascal Rodeo organizes events in which people of all ages can experience a rodeo environment. The rodeos include adaptive events free for families of disabled or disadvantaged children.

“As a queen, we are able to help the participants get a true rodeo experience and meet many rodeo faces from us queens, to rodeo announcers, clowns and bullfighters,” Wecks said. Rascal Rodeo organizers “have traveled through six states to offer free rodeos for these participants.”

Rascal Rodeos are held in Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and soon in Montana.

The grants are open to anyone between the ages of 18-24 who have volunteered with Rascal Rodeo. Applicants were asked to share what their dreams are for the future, be that college, their own business or whatever. They’re also asked to tell how Rascal Rodeo has impacted their lives and how they want to impact others moving forward.

The rodeos take place from April to December in various cities in the participating states.