About the Fund
The Gubelmann name has been prominent in and around Palm Beach since the early 1940s, when the late Walter Gubelmann and his wife, Barton, first began to spend time in the area. Their son, William grew up in Palm Beach before moving to England to pursue his dream of racing where he became a British Formula Car champion and drove the European Formula II circuit.
He met his wife, Shelley and moved back to Palm Beach with a mission to “help those who are less fortunate.” They were inspired by a Community Foundation board member and started a scholarship fund “as a way of putting something back into the community.”
Education is the most important thing to help disadvantaged people to better themselves,” William Gubelmann says. “We want to help the right person go to the right school for the right reason.”
Adds Shelley Gubelmann, “What impresses me is the fact that many of these students aren’t looking for large amounts of money. I don’t think people have nearly enough awareness that you don’t have to be a rich person to help somebody else.”
The first scholarships were awarded from the Gubelmann Family Foundation Scholarship Fund in May 2001