Bill '61 and Linda Matz

Major General William "Bill" Matz '61 spoke recently about his decades of involvement with and support of his alma mater. "My love and respect for Gettysburg College is what keeps me involved today. I have a lasting gratitude for the way the college prepared me for life and for the lifelong friends it has given me. I have enjoyed all of my Gettysburg relationships. My fraternity brothers, classmates, and staff and faculty are all people with whom I enjoy being associated with. The ROTC program at Gettysburg also meant a great deal to me; perhaps more in hindsight though, as it was the catalyst that developed my leadership ability and led to my commission in the Army and hence, my career as a soldier."

That career has been distinguished indeed. A Vietnam War veteran, his combat awards include the Distinguished Service Cross (the second highest award for valor on the battlefield), Silver Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Infantryman Badge. He retired in 1995 to work for defense through the private sector. In 2005 he was selected by the President to sit on the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission and recently retired as President of the National Association for Uniformed Services.

Alongside his demanding military career and globe-trotting it required, Matz remained an extraordinarily dedicated volunteer for Gettysburg College, serving on the Board of Fellows, the Commission on the Future, as an officer on the Eisenhower Institute Board of Directors, on several reunion committees, and regional planning and leadership groups. He is also the glue that connects a large cadre of early 1960s alumni to the College and one another. In 1997 the College recognized him with the Distinguished Alumni Award, and in 2011, with the Meritorious Service Award.

Bill and his wife, Linda, recently found that they could build on their longtime support and accomplish even more for the College by establishing charitable gift annuities.

"Gettysburg College has had and continues to have a profoundly positive influence on my life and over the years, I have tried to repay this debt of gratitude. So when I learned about the Charitable Gift Annuity Program, I saw a way to augment my annual gift by making a onetime cash gift to the college, while in return, my wife and I would receive an annual fixed payment for life. It made so much sense that we each established a gift; one in support of the Eisenhower Institute, the other in support of the general endowment. We feel good about this expression of gratitude, but also, that we have helped invest in the educational experience offered by the college."

For donors 65 or older, CGA rates are currently 5%+, offering an attractive income in addition to a charitable deduction in the year of the gift. Add reliable income when you need it, favorable tax treatment of your annuity payments, and future support for Gettysburg College, and you have a great gift arrangement for you and Gettysburg.