Workers Assistance and Memorial Fund

While CTF has expanded into a wide array of services to California’s transportation community, one of the original reasons for the organization’s creation remains its most fundamental – providing a readymade fiscal entity to collect and disburse worker assistance and memorial funds.  In the first six months of 2011 three Caltrans workers were killed on the job, and CTF was there to lend a hand.

When a member of California’s transportation community faces disaster losses, medical emergencies or death, friends and colleagues want to help.  But in the immediate days after a disaster setting up a non-profit fiscal entity is last on anyone’s list of things to do.

CTF offers an audited vehicle to collect the outpouring of financial support sent by friends and colleagues.  When sufficient funds have been collected, CTF disburses them, and if the death or injury occurred while on the job, CTF adds to the grant with its own resources.

The grants have paid for medical bills, costs of recovery from disasters, funeral expenses, flying survivor’s children in for the funeral and more.  CTF also helps fund the signing of memorials on State Highways.

Donald S. Wieman Memorial Vista Point

One example is the Donald S. Wieman Memorial Vista Point, funded by the CTF-managed Donald Wieman Memorial Fund.  Highway 18 in San Bernardino County is also called the Rim of the World Highway and if you’ve driven it you know it’s aptly named. Part of what makes the highway exceptional is the beautiful depression-era decorative rockwork.  Donald S. Wieman, hired as a mason as part of California’s effort to put people to work during the Depression, created much of the extraordinary rockwork still decorating the Highway today.

During the difficult days and weeks after an emergency or death in the transportation community, remember that CTF can help. To read CTF’s Workers Assistance and Memorials Policy, click here. To establish a Workers Assistance or Memorial Fund, contact Sarah West, Executive Director, CTF at 916-489-1629.

Richard Gonzalez - District 11, Equipment Operator 11 was was killed by a vehicle while working on a litter crew on Interstate 15 in San Diego County.

� Jaime Obeso - District 11 Maintenance Leadworker was killed by a hit and run driver who entered a lane closure on Interstate 8 near the Sunbeam Rest Area in Imperial County.

Stephen Palmer- District 11 Landscape Maintenance Worker, died from injuries after being struck by a trolley while on the job May 4, 2011.