(Pictured above: The UCDSB Champions for Kids Foundation honoured its major donors Wednesday during its annual Friends of the Foundation Celebration. Pictured, left to right: Sandy McInnes, foundation director of marketing and community outreach; Heather Wills, Wills Transfer; Laura Oliver; PhotoVisions School Photography; Mark Oliver, PhotoVisions School Photography; Cindy Peters, Matilda Recreation Committee; David K. Thomas, foundation president; Lorraine Commerford, LifeTouch Canada; Jonathan Rebelo, Ambassador Conference Resort; and Tina Miles, Four-O-One Electric.)
By: Mark Calder
(Brockville) - The Upper Canada District School Board Champions for Kids Foundation honoured its major donors Wednesday during its 2013 Friends of the Foundation Celebration.
The event is organized each year to recognize major donors to the Foundation who give $500 to $10,000 to support its work. Businesses honoured at the event were: Wills Transfer, The Matilda Recreation Committee, LifeTouch Canada, PhotoVisions School Photography, Four-O-One Electric, the Ambassador Conference Resort, and David K. Thomas and Nancy Hanna.
Champions President David K. Thomas, who along with his wife Nancy Hanna is a major donor to the charity, thanked those in attendance at the ceremony. Thomas told those gathered at the Board's Brockville office for the event that their donations make a real difference in the lives of children in communities served by the Board.
He spoke of a family in Grenville County that was assisted by the Foundation. The father, a successful businessman, was diagnosed with brain cancer and eventually passed away. The family was supported throughout the father's ordeal. The Foundation provided gas cards to fund travel costs associated with his treatment, as well as restaurant gift cards so the family could enjoy meals together and have one less thing to worry about at the end of a treatment day.
“The family is still struggling, but we showed them that this really, really big board could become very, very small and work to care for them and support them,” said Thomas.
South Grenville District High School Vice Principal Christie Reitsma told the story of two children from a working class family who were helped by the Foundation. The parents work hard, but cannot find the money to fund summer activities for their children. The Foundation approached the family and offered to fund summer camp for both children. The camp, seeing what a great child the daughter was, has offered to make her a junior leader this summer.
The Foundation was started in January 2008 to assist children from disadvantaged families to play sports and enjoy the arts. It also helps their families cover costs associated with obtaining medical care - such as gas costs for travel to hospital and parking passes. Since its founding, the charity has raised $700,000 to help children in need.