The Amateur Speedskating Union (ASU) Foundation (Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in the State of Illinois on June 15, 2000 as provided by the general Not for Profit Corporation Act of Illinois. The purpose of the Foundation is to protect, maintain and build endowment funds established by the ASU and to see that these funds are used for their intended purposes. Currently, the funds are invested in separate accounts with Edward Jones. The Foundation draws upon the interest accrued from these funds. The Foundation became a separate entity prior to the 2002 merger of the ASU and US Speedskating. The endowment funds are:
⇒ Scholarship Fund. The ASU Scholarship Fund grants post-secondary educational scholarships annually to US Speedskating members who are involved in the sport in any way. The number of scholarships awarded and the amount of each are determined on a year-to-year basis depending on the fund’s investment income in the prior year. The ASU Scholarship Fund was established at the 1985 Convention in Albany NY. Initially, surcharges due from Open Meets were deposited in the Scholarship Fund beginning in the 1986-1987 season. Howard Gutgesell who passed away in 2000 was a frequent contributor to the ASU Scholarship Fund, having given more than $12,000 to the fund at the time of his passing. The Blatchford Scholarship Fund memorializing Carol Blatchford was also held by the ASU. Ms. Blatchford was an aspiring young speed skater who tragically died in an automobile accident in the late 1960s. These two funds were merged into the Foundation Scholarship Fund.
High school seniors and other US Speedskating members attending or planning to attend college in the next year are invited to submit applications for an ASU Foundation scholarship and/or, if qualified, a Medallion and Medal Sponsor scholarship. Application instructions and forms are generally available during January and February of each year on the Foundation web site. US Speedskating makes the applications available in the December USS Member News via email. Applications received are reviewed and scored by a five member review committee and awards announced in May. The highest scoring female ASU Foundation scholarship applicant is awarded the Carol Blatchford Memorial Scholarship and the highest scoring male ASU Foundation scholarship applicant is awarded the Howard Gutgesell Scholarship. Qualified candidates may submit applications for both the ASU and Medallion and Medal Sponsor scholarships, however, if conditionally awarded both, they will receive the one with the higher benefit.
In addition, after receiving a generous donation from the Jerry Search Trust, in 2021 the Foundation created the Jerry Search Memorial Scholarship, which may be awarded yearly to the applicant who best demonstrates the ideals promoted by Jerry Search in his involvement with speedskating.
⇒ Hall of Fame Fund. The ASU Hall of Fame Fund was established at the 1988 Convention in Arden Hills, MN. At this Convention, Al Abgott, former ASU President, presented a check for $12,000 to Bob Vehe, Chairman of the ASU Hall of Fame Committee. The money was a bequest in the will of Dr. Tom Outland, a prominent orthopedic surgeon in Holmes Beach, FL in memory of his late wife Kit Klein Outland who was one of the top female skaters who, in 1964, was the fifth person and first woman to be elected to the ASU Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Fund was established to provide a source of income for improvements and maintenance of the Hall of Fame. At the time of its establishment, the ASU Hall of Fame was located in Newburgh, NY with the artifacts being held by the Lions Club. Since that time, conceptual plans were studied to relocate the Hall of Fame to Saratoga Springs, NY. Funding to create a museum fell through, and the archives were relocated to the Pettit Center in Milwaukee, WI. Some archival material has been moved to the Olympic Oval in Kearns, UT. The National Speedskating Museum and Hall of Fame has developed plans for displays and is working with entities at the Pettit, the Kearns Oval, and directors at USS, for space to install such displays. Over the years, the Foundation provided funds for specific needs upon request from the Hall of Fame.
The ASU Foundation remains committed to its mission of promoting speedskating through financial support. To this end we invite the continued support of followers and fans of the sport of speed skating including individuals, families, groups, businesses, and corporations to make a financial contribution to one or more of the Foundation’s endowment funds. In addition to the usual reasons for donating, the Foundation offers the opportunity for US Speedskating members to memorialize friends and loved ones who have passed away. The ASU Scholarship Fund and the Medallion and Medal Sponsor Fund are dedicated to assisting speed skaters and contributors to the sport in achieving their life goals. The Hall of Fame Fund is dedicated to preserving the speed skating legacy embodied in the outstanding history, artifacts, and achievements enshrined in the National Speedskating Museum and Hall of Fame. Additional information and forms are available at the Donate Here tab on this web site. Click here to donate