Richard Ames was a resident of Harpswell. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1960 and was a pilot during the Vietnam War, earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses in the process. After his service in the Air Force, he obtained a Law Degree from the University of Colorado Law School and was a practicing attorney for thirty years. Awards from this fund are based on student financial need, after which recipients are requested to be sons and daughters of local fisherman, particularly those who reside in Harpswell.