Local philanthropists recognized for outstanding contributions
Each year, the local chapter of The Association of Fundraising Professionals of Southeastern Ontario (AFP SEO) works with charitable organizations in our communities to recognize and celebrate outstanding local philanthropists and volunteers.
Throughout the week, AFP SEO will be celebrating the National Philanthropy Day Award recipients online and highlight their amazing contributions.
Public health guidelines have prevented the annual in-person celebration, and therefore, AFP SEO is celebrating virtually. AFP SEO covers a large geographic territory, and as such there are many individuals to celebrate from several communities.
“It is truly inspiring to read these stories about the innumerable differences that philanthropists and volunteers are making across southeastern Ontario.” says AFP SEO President, Adam Say. “As our Board discussed our plans for National Philanthropy Day this year, we felt that sharing these stories on social media and on our website would help to shine a light on the amazing ways philanthropy and volunteerism help to bring our communities together, even when it’s challenging to do so physically.”
Honourees are named in the following categories, and from the following communities:
Outstanding Service Club: Lions Club of Kingston
Nominated by: Hospice Kingston
Hospice Kingston is incredibly grateful to The Lions Club of Kingston for their generous donation of $100,000 towards the Hospice Residence and Palliative Care Centre.
The Lions Club of Kingston’s generous donation will help to fund one of the Care Suites in the new Hospice Residence. The Hospice Residence will offer an essential choice to individuals for whom dying at home is not an option. The Care Suites will be welcoming to all faiths and cultures and will provide comfort and care, to not only the individual, but to their families as well. This amazing donation has allowed Hospice Kingston to continue to move forward to build a place of compassion and care in Kingston.
Outstanding Corporation: Leon’s Superstore Trenton
Nominated by: Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation
Leon’s Superstore in Trenton has had an instrumental impact on the Trenton Memorial Hospital (TMH) in many ways. Not only has Leon’s increased the dollars raised by the Hospital Foundation, they have increased awareness and support. Leon’s creatively and generously used their advertising campaign to spread the hospital’s message.
The partnership with Leon’s and TMH has inspired many other generous donors to contribute as well. Some purchased hospital beds outright having heard of the campaign, and others gave what they could to support the cause. Thanks to Leon’s philanthropy, more service clubs, local businesses and schools are reaching out to local charities to see how and what they can do to help make the community a better place.
Outstanding Philanthropist: Sam Brady
Nominated by: The Children’s Foundation
Not only does Sam support The Children’s Foundation (TCF) financially through long-term gifts, sponsorships and volunteer support, but he does the same with many other Belleville community organizations. He was the Chair of the Board of Directors at The Children’s Foundation for three years and remains on the Board today. He Co-Chaired the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, and is a long-standing member of the Belleville Rotary Club and their Students Abroad Program where he houses foreign students who are on exchange. The Children’s Foundation appreciates Sam’s commitment and drive to make the community a better place.
Outstanding Philanthropist: Brian and Nancy Cosgrove
Nominated by: University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
Brian and Nancy Cosgrove gave an exceptional gift to Kingston General Hospital (KGH) in support of the redevelopment project at Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s KGH site. Their gift will allow the centre to expand its capacity and transform the care environment that will help families stay healthy and have access to world-class healthcare. In addition to this significant gift, Brian and Nancy supported the COVID-19 relief fund, further demonstrating their commitment to healthcare in our region.
Brian and Nancy’s gift to the hospital will have a significant impact on the Kingston community while supporting the redevelopment of Kingston General Hospital, transforming the care environment by providing modern facilities designed to deliver 21st century healthcare.
Outstanding Philanthropist: Daphne Franks
Nominated by: Queen’s University
Through her interest in the arts, Daphne has directed decades of philanthropic and volunteer support to the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. For over two decades, she provided volunteer leadership of the Gallery Association’s Art Rental and Sales Gallery, a significant annual source of revenue for the gallery through that period. She also led the gallery’s volunteers and organized numerous community-building events and galas throughout her time at the Agnes.
Daphne and Ned also established a fund in the name of their late son Timothy. The Timothy C.S. Franks Research and Travel Fund provides financial support for doctoral candidates in the Departments of History and Political Studies pursuing dissertation research abroad.
Over the years, Daphne and her late husband Ned have both dedicated their limited time and energies to ensuring that the Agnes continues to be an art gallery that rivals those of the large cities of North America. Through her generosity, Daphne is helping to ensure that Kingston and south eastern Ontario have full access to the world’s artistic treasures.
Outstanding Philanthropist: Catharine and Lanny Huff
Nominated by: University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
Catharine and Lanny Huff support causes and organizations that are dear to their hearts and that improve the lives of many residents in South Eastern Ontario. For example, they contributed $500,000 to Women and Children’s Health purely because their children, nieces and nephews were all born at Kingston General Hospital.
Catharine and Lanny are community builders – wherever they see a need, they help where they can. In addition to the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation (UHKF), the Huffs are major supporters of the Prince Edward County Community Foundation, Loyalist College, the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital, the Belleville General Hospital, Trenton Memorial Hospital, Trenton Golden Hawks and Wellington Dukes hockey teams, the Picton Arena and Fairgrounds, the Wellington Arena, the Festival Players and other theatre groups, the Jazz Festival and numerous community organizations and initiatives through the Red Cross, Hospice Prince Edward, the Prince Edward County Syrian Refugee Fund, and the Humane Society.
Outstanding Philanthropist: Alan Rottenberg
Nominated by: Queen’s University
Alan Rottenberg is the visionary and donor behind the Queen’s Career Apprenticeship: Kingston program. This program places graduates from Arts and Humanities degrees from Queen’s University with local Kingston (and surrounding area) businesses who are looking to employ bright, young and capable minds. Alan funds four out of 12 months’ salary for each apprentice (up to $4,000).
This program is run in collaboration with the City of Kingston and Kingston Economic Development Corporation who want to see these students stay and work in Kingston. As the architect for this Queen’s Career Apprenticeship program, his generosity and dedication to accelerate the careers of young professionals has fueled remarkable change.
Since inception, the program blueprints have been adopted by other cities and institutions across Ontario (of which Alan has helped fund). This expansion and collaboration with other institutions across Canada are giving more opportunities for young Kingstonians to come home and develop a meaningful career. It is not an overstatement to say that without Alan’s passion and generosity, this successful program would not exist as it does today.
Outstanding Philanthropist: David Sharpe
Nominated by: Queen’s University
David Sharpe made a significant gift to establish the Chief Don R. Maracle Reconciliation/Indigenous Knowledge Fund. This is a three-year program that will integrate Aboriginal knowledge and wisdom into the academic environment and develop connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars. David is also leading an initiative for Queen’s Faculty of Law to recruit and hire an Indigenous legal scholar and to engage in an ambitious fundraising campaign to endow a Professorship in Aboriginal Law.
Also a member of Queen’s Board of Trustees, David’s passion and support greatly contribute to enabling Queen’s and its Faculty of Law to play leadership roles in the project of reconciliation that will redefine Canada in the years to come.
Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Karen Crichton-Cadeau
Nominated by: Kingston Interval House
Karen Crichton-Cadeau has been an outstanding volunteer fundraiser with Kingston Interval House (KIH) for several years and exemplifies everything the organization stands for. She started fundraising for KIH through the International Women’s Week event, She Creates. She not only helped with the event, she also donated half of her personal proceeds to KIH while on maternity leave.
Karen created another event, Girls Night Out, for KIH several years ago. This event is an evening out for women with networking, an auction, and a night of fun with their peers. This event has raised over $30,000 for Kingston Interval House in the few short years it has been running. Karen personally plans and runs this entire event twice yearly, in May and November. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, Karen quickly switched the Girls Night Out event to an online virtual event. It was a huge success and helped to engage KIH and its supporters during a difficult time.
The engagement, dollars raised, and publicity generated from Karen’s efforts provides support to KIH that it would otherwise not have access to. The funds from this event help to ensure that Kingston Interval House continues providing programs and services to women, children, and youth so they can move towards a future free of violence and oppression.
Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Liz Lehtinen
Nominated by: The Children’s Foundation
Liz Lehtinen is an active Board Member and an outstanding volunteer fundraiser for The Children’s Foundation in Belleville. She and her husband Eric own a business in Belleville and are huge supporters of The Children’s Foundation, including sponsoring, donating and volunteering. Liz is not only involved with the Board of Directors and almost all committees, but she also finds time to volunteer with the Belleville General Hospital Foundation, YMCA and many more organizations. She is a wonderful advocate for the Belleville community and is a cheerleader promoting the programs offered by The Children’s Foundation to local families.
Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Evelyn Maizen
Nominated by: University Hospitals Kingston Foundation
Whether Evelyn is decorating cookies at a Smile Cookie Day event, hosting a hospital redevelopment education session at her home, or working to strengthen UHKF’s face-to-face fundraising efforts, her uplifting presence, and willingness to participate across the organization at all levels, boosts the morale of staff and volunteers alike. She brings new and fresh fundraising ideas to the table, always looking for ways to keep the conversation for supporting the hospital open.
Through her own gifts and gifts that she has inspired, she has helped to facilitate in excess of $1 million in government funding for hospital redevelopment. As a volunteer, she has raised more than $150,000 in major gifts and identified many planned giving opportunities. Evelyn is also the kind of person who drops by the UHKF office and delivers homemade goodies for the staff as a thank you for all their hard work.
Outstanding only begins to describe how incredible Evelyn is and just how meaningful her work and dedication is to the UHKF organization and they are fortunate to have her support.
Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Dr. Robert Reid
Nominated by: Queen’s University
Bob believes in the power of philanthropy to change someone’s life. His longstanding commitment to the Queen’s Medical Student Bursary Golf Tournament is driven by his fundamental belief that worthy, talented people should have access to an excellent medical education at Queen’s University, regardless of their financial limitations.
Bob has also been instrumental in securing pharmaceutical company support for the Obstetrics Memorial Program. Bob is passionate about promoting knowledge in obstetrics and gynecology, the department in which he specialized for over 40 years of his career. He utilized his relationship in the obstetrics and gynecology world to ensure that the Memorial Day program at Queen’s, which has been going on for over 40 years, was always well supported through sponsorships.
Starting with his first gift to Queen’s University in 1977, Bob has been a tireless fundraiser. He has always led with his own philanthropy and encouraged others to do the same. Through his noble efforts, Bob has left an indelible mark on generations of medical students and practitioners, a truly remarkable legacy.
Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy: JayLynn Akey
Nominated by: The Children’s Foundation
JayLynn Akey has been volunteering with The Children’s Foundation since she was 14 (she is now 17) and is a delight to have around. She sets an example for her peers, and for others, and spreads the good word about how important it is to give back to the community. She provides the message to kids that it is okay to ask for help and that places like The Children’s Foundation want to help.
JayLynn is an outstanding student, volunteer and friend to The Children’s Foundation. She is the perfect example of what it means to overcome challenges and grow. She promotes the organization in the community and recruits other teens to get involved. She makes The Children’s Foundation very proud and excited to see all of the things that JayLynn will accomplish in the future.
This week, AFP SEO will be profiling and sharing these wonderful stories through their social media.
For full profiles of the honourees visit: https://community.afpnet.org/afponsoutheasternontario/new-item7/philanthropy-awards