Within days of the tragedy, the U.S. Figure Skating Executive Committee established the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund, to honor the eighteen team members and their entourage who lost their lives on Sabena Flight 548. The mission of the Memorial Fund was to help rebuild the U.S. Figure Skating program, by providing financial support to promising young figure skaters to enable them to pursue their goals and develop their full potential. In March 1961, a benefit was held in the Boston Garden arena to raise money for the Memorial Fund. Over the years, thousands of young U.S. skaters have benefited from the fund which has continued to grow and prosper. One of the first beneficiaries was 12-year-old Peggy Fleming, whose coach William Kipp had died in the plane crash. Fleming became a symbol of the rebirth of U.S. Figure Skating when she went on to win gold at the 1968 Winter Olympics.