Gold Star families set up fund to honor vets

The West Chester Vietnam Memorial Scholarship Charitable Fund was made in memory of area veterans.

WEST CHESTER >> The Chester County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the creation of the West Chester Vietnam Memorial Scholarship Charitable Fund. The fund has been established by local Gold Star Families and Vietnam Veterans in memory of the 11 men from the West Chester area who gave their lives for the country in the Vietnam War. Scholarships will be awarded each year in honor of these individuals and to keep alive the memory of their sacrifice for the country. Family members of the first and last men from West Chester killed in the Vietnam War, CPL Ernest E. Orendorff Jr. USMC and Specialist 5 Nathanial Matthews, were instrumental in establishing this charitable fund.

Money is being raised to fund an endowment fund for the scholarships. It is the founders’ goal to raise sufficient funds to be able to award 11 scholarships each year in the name of each of these individuals. Donations may be made to the West Chester Vietnam Memorial Scholarship Fund c/o CCCF, 28 West Market Street, West Chester, Pa 19382 or online at ww.chescocf.org.

The West Chester Vietnam Memorial Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to Bishop Shanahan High School and/or West Chester Area School District High School seniors who have a family member who is a veteran. Applicants are asked to write an essay about their family member(s) who is a veteran and how their service impacted the applicant’s life, as well as describing how the applicant plans to honor the service of the family veteran in the future. Scholarships will be awarded each year on a competitive basis to a deserving student who maintains a minimum 3.0 GPA and, in the judgment of the West Chester Vietnam Memorial Scholarship Committee,

best demonstrates financial need while exhibiting school and community involvement. The student must plan to attend college

or a trade school. Interested applicants should to speak to their guidance counselor for more information on how to apply for this scholarship or reference the Chester County Community Foundation’s website at www.chescocf.org.

SUBMITTED PHOTO The Chester County Community Foundation is pleased to announce the creation of the West Chester Vietnam Memorial Scholarship Charitable Fund.