Background:

The Travis Zimmerman Memorial Fund grew out of local efforts to commemorate Travis Zimmerman, a 2005 Boyertown High School graduate who died on April 22, 2006, while on duty in Iraq. Following his death, Boyertown High School junior Scarlett Kulp, her mother Janet Kulp, John Leffel and John's daughters Anna and Melissa – neighbors of the Zimmerman family – began raising funds with the intent of purchasing a Bear Fever bear to be specially sculpted in a saluting pose and installed in Travis' honor.

Their efforts were so successful and inspirational that they caught the attention of Richard A. Zuber and his associate, Shawn Haviland. Fundraising efforts brought in gifts of over $10,000, well above the cost of the bear, which has been sculpted and is now being decorated.

To ensure that the excess funds were used to appropriately honor Travis, and to launch an effort to commemorate all Boyertown area citizens who have served their country, Mr. Zuber established the Travis Zimmerman Memorial Fund at Berks County Community Foundation on May 19, 2006.

About the Fund:

The Travis Zimmerman Memorial Fund is in its infancy and the complete details of how it will take shape are in the planning stages. At this point, however, it is anticipated that a portion of the fund will be spent outright and a portion will be permanently endowed at Berks County Community Foundation. The permanent fund will also be called the Travis Zimmerman Memorial Fund. Variables that will affect the direction of the fund will be the cost of the expected activities and the level of charitable giving to the fund. What follows is the “ideal” vision of the fund, as agreed upon by all who have been involved at this point, including Travis' mother, Gail Camperson:

First, Berks County Community Foundation will award a commission grant from the fund to design, create and install a permanent memorial, to be placed in a public and easily accessible location, which will honor all residents of the Boyertown Area School District who have died in the line of military duty since Boyertown's incorporation in 1866.

Second, funds will be set aside to maintain the Bear Fever bear created in Travis' honor for the duration of the bear's natural life, which is approximately 10 years. Any such funds remaining when the bear is retired will be placed into the permanent fund described below.

Third, all remaining funds will be set aside to permanently endow the Travis Zimmerman Memorial Fund, which will make annual distributions – in perpetuity – to (1) maintain and preserve the permanent memorial, and (2) provide general education and scholarship funds for service-men and -women who return to live in the Boyertown Area School District, to cover tuition expenses not covered by the GI Bill and incidental expenses related to education, such as books, child care, transportation and the like.

The concept for this fund was borne out of the belief that the Boyertown Area community has an obligation, and will certainly respond to a challenge, to not only memorialize Travis Zimmerman for his service, but to honor all such local heroes who have died in military service. And just as important is to say “thank-you” to those who return by helping to ease their transitions back into civilian life.

For more information about Berks County Community Foundation and the Travis Zimmerman Memorial Fund, please contact Thomas J. Moore, director of philanthropic Services, at 610.369.3631, or by email at tomm@bccf.org.