S p e c i a l F e a t u r e
C R E A T E A L E G A C Y
these areas of need is an emergency fund
for women who want to flee domestic
violence. "Historically, one of the things
that Family Services has been able to do
very creatively was to actually respond to
needs as they emerge in the community
prior to government seeing them as a
priority," says Caroline Bonesky,
CEO of
Family Services. "So we would like to
innovate more and respond as we see
emerging needs."
Bonesky notes that we all have
different versions of what we call families,
but they all play an important role in our
lives. "We believe that when people are
thinking about leaving a legacy, and they
think about the things that are important
to them, family is usually really high on
that list."
Gifts With Major Impact
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is
the province's fourth-largest university,
and offers some of the most diverse
programming in Western Canada
including trades, open learning and a law
school. As an institution it has a relatively
short history of 45 years, but it is already
serving the educational needs of B.C.'s
Interior and attracting students from the
Lower Mainland, Calgary and Edmonton.
A recent $2.5-million donation by
Kamloops businessman Ken Lepin to
the
TRU Foundation, which raises and
manages funds for scholarships, bursaries
and special needs funding, revolutionized
the university's process of recruiting
and retaining students. "These gifts, no
matter what the size, have the power to
transform us," says Christopher Seguin,
vice president Advancement. "There's a
way to make an impact on the education
in the entire province by looking outside of
the traditional offerings, and inding us."
Long-term Vision
In a proactive effort to meet future
needs, the Burnaby Hospital Foundation
has recently developed a Community
Health and Wellness Fund. The purpose
of this fund is to go beyond the hospital
foundation's traditional role, which is to
buy equipment and technolo"y for the
