The Door County Community Foundation announced today that the remarkable gift of the late Lee Traven continues to do wonderful things for Door County.
The Traven Family Fund is a permanent endowment that Lee established at the Community Foundation to forever benefit the charities he cared about the most. For the third year in a row, the Traven Family Fund will make significant donations to benefit the following organizations that he loved:
- The Ridges Sanctuary
- Peninsula Music Festival
- Good Samaritan Society – Scandia Village
- The Clearing
- Ministry Door County Medical Center Foundation
- Lawrence University – Bjorklunden
- Wisconsin Public Radio
- The Sustainability & Advancement Grants Program of the Door County Community Foundation
“While some of our donors prefer to remain anonymous, Lee created the Traven Family Fund so that his family’s legacy will live on forever,” says Bret Bicoy, President & CEO of the Community Foundation. “We celebrate and honor Lee every year as a way to thank him for making this incredible gift to Door County.”
Olivia Traven, Lee’s mother, regularly visited her grandmother in Baileys Harbor and eventually made it her lifelong home. Always active in civic life, Olivia would become one of the co-founders of the Ridges Sanctuary.
Fred Traven, Lee’s father, was active as a Boy Scout leader for nearly three decades and served as president of the Ridges Sanctuary.
Lee Traven grew up in Baileys Harbor. He served in the United States Air Force in Texas, California and Japan. He lived and worked in Manhattan for
thirty years, and traveled throughout the world. But his heart always called him back to his home of Door County.
After retiring, Traven returned to Door County and began a new career as one of the community’s most engaged citizens. He served on the Boards of the Ministry Door County Medical Center Foundation, The Ridges Sanctuary, The Clearing, Peninsula Music Festival, and Scandia Village.
As a result of his inspiring community leadership, Traven was named the 2010 Philanthropist of the Year by the Door County Community Foundation. He passed away on April 22, 2013.
The Door County Community Foundation, Inc. is a collection of separate charitable funds set up by individuals, families, non-profit organizations, private foundations and businesses that are managed, invested and disbursed for the current and future good of Door County. The Foundation was launched in 1999 and currently administers nearly $16 million in charitable assets.
For more information about the Door County Community Foundation, contact Bret Bicoy at (920) 746-1786 or visit www.givedoorcounty.org.
Door County Community Foundation 