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Beloved Bulldog’s memory lives on through scholarship fund
Zach Moore fundraiser
During the inaugural fundraising dinner in 2019, the Turlock community raised $10,000 for the Zachery Moore Memorial Scholarship Foundation, which was created in honor of the late Bulldog alum (Photo contributed).

Following the tragic death of 20-year-old Zachery Moore in January 2018, the Turlock High School alum’s family has made it their mission to continue celebrating his passion for life through an annual dinner — the first of which was a resounding success nearly two years ago.

Forced to skip a year due to COVID, the second Zachery Moore Memorial Scholarship Foundation fundraiser dinner will return this month at a larger, pandemic-friendly venue. Moore’s aunt, Raeanne Jones, hopes the event can replicate the results of the inaugural dinner in 2019, which raised $10,000 for the scholarship fund and had over 300 attendees.

“It was really nice,” Jones said. “It was good to see he had such a huge impact.”

Moore’s death in a car accident nearly four years ago came as a shock to those who loved him. The students at THS knew the 2015 Bulldog graduate as a football linebacker who lived for the Friday night lights, and the school began selling shirts emblazoned with his nickname as a way to raise money for a scholarship in his honor. 

The “ZMO Strong” t-shirts supported the Zachery Moore Memorial Scholarship Foundation, which awards $500 to a graduating senior hand-picked by the Moore family who doesn’t just excel in academics, athletics and leadership, but embodies Moore’s ‘Bulldog for life’ spirit.

The $10,000 raised at the foundation’s first-ever dinner in 2019 far surpassed the family’s goal of $5,000, and each dollar raised this year will ensure Moore’s memory is kept alive by helping other students move forward.

“I think he'd be pretty proud,” Jones said.

The Zachery Moore Memorial Scholarship Foundation dinner will be held from 5 p.m. to midnight Sept. 25 at the Assyrian American Civic Club in Turlock.

Those 21 and up can attend for a night of good food (catered by La Morenita in Ceres), dancing, drinks and celebrating the life of Moore. A majority of funds raised for the scholarship foundation come from the raffle and auction at the dinner, Jones said, and organizers are still accepting donation items. 

Individual tickets for the event are $45. Tables can be purchased for $500 each, and come with two drink tickets per seat. Tickets can be purchased via Venmo (@ZmoStrong) and either delivered or held at the door, or by emailing zmostrong@gmail.com.