Lethbridge College sends its congratulations and thanks to a tremendous group of philanthropists recognized as part of National Philanthropy Day by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Southern Alberta Chapter. We are pleased to share these stories provided by the local AFP chapter:
National Philanthropy Day (November 15th) is the special day set aside to recognize and pay tribute to the great contributions that philanthropy – and those people active in the philanthropic community – have made in our lives, our communities and the world.
Each year, the Southern Alberta Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals holds a luncheon celebrating philanthropist who have made a remarkable impact in our communities. This year, we are not able to safely gather this year due to the pandemic.
We can all agree that COVID has been the story of the year and it can be easy to get lost in the negativity that comes with it. This is why our Chapter felt that there is no better time to celebrate the amazing people and organizations that do so much for our communities.
In partnership with our Presenting Sponsor, Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta (CFLSA), the 6th Annual Inspiring Philanthropy Awards will celebrate honourees in seven categories; Corporate Philanthropists, Indigenous Philanthropist, Individual/Family Philanthropists, Philanthropic Group, Small Business Philanthropist, Southern Alberta Philanthropy Hero, and Youth Philanthropist.
Recipients were announced at our flag raising ceremony at City Hall on Nov. 17. Also, from Nov. 17-23, we will be posting one video each day on our AFP - Southern Alberta Facebook page that celebrates our honourees.
Major sponsors for the celebration includes ATB Financial, Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation, Fee Simple Law, London Road Media, Lethbridge College, Streets Alive Mission, and Vista Radio.
With great thanks to our amazing sponsors, the AFP, Southern Alberta Chapter will once again be able to fund a $1000 scholarship for a grade 12 or first year post-secondary student who best exemplifies positive civic and community support through their interest in, commitment to, and active involvement in volunteerism and philanthropic causes.
For more details on this scholarship, including application form, students are encouraged to visit the AFP website at: https://community.afpglobal.org/afpabsouthernchapter
Also, a thank you to our adjudication committee for taking on the challenging task of reviewing the nomination packages and choosing the honourees amongst many great candidates. Our panel this year included Richard Davidson, Michael Marcotte, Chris Murray, Cyndi Vos, and Derek Melting Tallow.
Corporate Philanthropist: KB Heating & Air Conditioning
Nominated by Lethbridge College
Throughout its history, KB Heating and Air Conditioning Ltd. has been a proud community supporter through contributions to a wide range of organizations, including the Stars Lottery Home, Canadian Cancer Society, the Lethbridge Food Bank, Lethbridge College and many others.
KB Heating and Air Conditioning Ltd has supported Lethbridge College through donations to annual student awards for Plumbing, Engineering Technologies and Administrative Office Professional programs; the College Home partnership; the Trades, Technologies and Innovation Facility; the Early Childhood Education Play Space; Kodiak Athletics; Honouring Excellence and the golf tournament.
In 2015, KB Plumbing and Heating again showed its commitment to the college with a $100,000 multi-faceted gift that has benefitted three major areas. The first supported the college’s new trades and technologies facility by creating the “KB Plumbing and Heating Classroom” in the college’s Trades, Technologies and Innovation Facility, which opened in 2017.
Indigenous Philanthropist: Enel Green Power Canada
Nominated by Lethbridge College
Enel Green Power is a developer, long-term owner and operator of renewable energy plants, working to build a sustainable future for communities and businesses across North America including Canada, United States and Mexica. They create renewable energy for a sustainable future. They seek out energy around the globe: in the power of wind and water, in the heat of the sun, in the depths of the earth and, above all, people.
As part of this sustainability Enel is developing outreach, training and employment programs throughout the territories and communities where they operate. They collaborate with communities to improve their social and economic context while, at the same time test new partnership opportunities.
Throughout 2020, Enel North America has demonstrated a strong commitment to the community in southern Alberta in which it operates. It acknowledges that its operations are located on traditional Blackfoot territory. In February 2020, Enel pledged $100,000 (USD) to Lethbridge College to support Lethbridge College’s Indigenous Circle of Services, student awards for the Wind Turbine Technician program, and resources to provide experiential learning opportunities in the Wind Turbine Technician Program.
Individual/Family Philanthropist: Terry Whitehead
Nominated by University of Lethbridge
Terry lives in Vancouver where he is Managing Partner of Alexander Whitehead Executive Search, a boutique search firm specializing in the natural resources. He is also the Founder of Elev8Exec Coaching, a Vancouver-based executive coaching firm.
Terry was raised in Lethbridge, Alberta. He graduated from Lethbridge Community College and then enrolled at the University of Lethbridge. As a student, he pursued several diverse campus activities, including sports editor of the student newspaper and terms as Students' Union Vice-President then
Students' Union President. His term as Students' Union President coincided with the opening of the Students' Union Building. Terry graduated in 1994.
Terry has made a significant difference to both students and the University of Lethbridge as a whole through his philanthropy. His giving to the U of L began when he was a young alumnus. Since then, his donations have spanned over two decades, with over 200 gifts to the University and he has supported at least 27 different projects and initiatives on campus.
As a volunteer, Terry is a committed Chair of the Advancement Committee and serves on the Executive and Compensation committees of the Board. He is also serving on the University of Lethbridge Hockey Advisory Committee.
Philanthropic Group: COVID-19 Community Support Circle
Nominated by Chelsea Sherbut
Lethbridge COVID-19 Community Support Circle is a group provides peer-to-peer support and connections throughout the pandemic. In their day jobs, Kristina is the Manager of Youth Settlement Services at Lethbridge Family Services, Jenn is the director for LPIRG, Andrea is the Owner/Head Coach at Lethbridge Gymnastics Academy, Joanna is the owner of Salsa Babies Lethbridge, and Amber Nicole Jensen is the author/collector of stories for I Am The Opioid Crisis: Stories From Southern Alberta.
These volunteers started a group on Facebook early in the pandemic to make connections between Lethbridge community members who had capacity to help, or who needed extra support. The group has grown to nearly 5,000 members and is extremely well moderated and very active. Group members have gotten help on applying for CERB, getting groceries to a quarantined or isolated person, answering inquiries on where to find various supplies, ride-sharing, birthday drive-by celebrations, resources for parents who were doing at-home-instruction and immediate connections to all levels of social and government supports. It is run like a well-oiled machine with posts being marked resolved, tags and links so that posts can be found easily.
Small Business Philanthropist: Hass Wealth Management of RBC Dominion Securities
Nominated by Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation
Hass Wealth Group, RBC Dominion Securities believes in giving back to the community in which they live in and serve. Each year they strive to support charities and causes in Southern Alberta that impact their clients and community. They consider themselves extremely fortunate to partner with a number of local not-for-profit organizations. Shawn Hass, Vice-President and Portfolio Manager, is the leader at the helm of Hass Wealth Management RBC Dominion Securities.
The Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation has been a fortunate partner and recipient of the Hass Wealth team’s generosity since 2001. They actively take part in all the CHR Foundation campaigns; The Val Matteotti Italian Open, Christmas Tree Festival, Lights of Hope Campaign and the annual Care from the Heart Day Radioathon. In addition, they have made a number of significant gifts in support of various areas of the hospital, including the Emergency Department and Mental Health area. They consistently set the example by simply doing it, supporting and encouraging others to do the same. The Hass Wealth team walks the walk and proudly shares they believe in giving back to the community they live in and serve. Each year they set a high example to support charities and causes in Southern Alberta that impact their clients and community. They pour their philanthropic endeavours into the organizations that mean a lot to their clients and staff, and what’s more, is they dedicate a space on their website to keep the generosity made public. So they inspire by clearly sharing the charities they rally behind.
Southern Alberta Philanthropy Heroes: Knud Petersen
Nominated by Lethbridge College
Born in Denmark, Knud Petersen came to Canada in 1965 as an agricultural exchange student. In 1969, he started working in Chin, southern Alberta, on the Perry family sugar beet and potato farm. Eventually, he bought some land and became partners in the potato business with the Perrys, with whom he worked until his retirement in 1994.
Throughout his time in southern Alberta, Petersen has been a fixture in the local sports community as a coach, official, board member, founder, fundraiser, chair, volunteer and booster. He is a one-of-a-kind volunteer, supporter and philanthropist who can always be found at local gyms, rinks and fields, cheering on the Kodiaks, University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, Lethbridge Bulls and Hurricanes or any other team or event that crosses his radar. Beyond sports, Petersen has been an active volunteer at a host of community organizations, including the Lethbridge Food Bank, the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA), environmental groups and more. Some prominent local community organizations, like Southern Oldtimers Football Association (SOFA), Environment Lethbridge, Kodiak Athletics Association, and Pronghorns Booster Club, to name a few, has benefited from Petersen’s involvement getting them started.
Petersen’s involvement with the college began when he and Alvin Tietz founded the women’s soccer program at what was then called Lethbridge Community College. The team went undefeated in its inaugural 1994 season, winning both the ACAC provincial championship and the CCAA national title. Petersen also helped to finance the women’s soccer program through its early years, working with well-known entertainment promoter Ron Sakamoto to keep the team financially stable.
His legacy with the college remains, as the Tietz/Petersen Scholarship Fund is awarded annually and supplies financial aid to a total of six Kodiaks athletes from the women’s and men’s soccer and volleyball teams. He has also been a long-time member of the college’s Kodiak Athletic Association, helping to raise funds for Kodiaks Athletics.
Youth Philanthropist; Lethbridge College LEO Club
Nominated by Lethbridge College
The LEO Club at Lethbridge College was founded in 1977 by Ken Riley as part of the Lions Clubs International. LEO stands for Leadership, Experience, Opportunity and links precisely to the goals and priorities of many students in our Criminal Justice – Policing and Justice Studies program.
Lethbridge College’s LEO Club has a proud tradition of giving back to the college and the community it serves. With an inspiring commitment to build on that history, the team has excelled in the classroom while guiding the vibrant club of students as they give hundreds of hours and raise thousands of dollars for diverse organizations.
Through-out the 2019-20 academic year, the club raised more than $8,000 for 13 not-for-profit organizations. including the R.C.M.P. Victim Services Unit, Lethbridge Police Services Victim Services Unit, the Lethbridge College Student Association Food Bank, Sierra Leone University Student Education Fund, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, The Elizabeth Fry Society, the John Howard Society, the Schizophrenia Society, the YWCA, STARS and the Children’s Wish Foundation.
The Leo Club also participated in 22 events, and 1,700 volunteer hours were completed by its 62 dedicated members, all of whom are under age 25. Through the gift of time, the LEO Club impacted events such as YWCA: Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, Children’s Make a Wish, Crime Stoppers Colour Run, Clayton Allen Wine Auction, MS Society Beery Tasting, YWCA: Royal Gala, local Provincial Volleyball and Basketball tournaments, Skating in the Square, Charlton Hill Drive Home Service, Blind Association Dinner, Adopt-a-Family, Lions 250 Drive Home Service, LETR Polar Plunge, Sirens for Life Blood Drive, Crime Stoppers Chuck-a-Puck and many internal events at Lethbridge College.