OTTAWA, Ontario, June 23, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The impact of the Afghanistan conflict extends far beyond the battlefields and military bases, beyond what we see on TV and hear about in the news. It goes into the family rooms, the playgrounds and the schools of our country. That is where the often forgotten children of parents who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country go on with their lives.
Canada Company today, announced fourteen of these children will be receiving the support they have long deserved when they are recognized as the 2017 recipients of the Canada Company Scholarship Fund (CCSF). The CCSF was established in 2007 at the height of the Afghanistan conflict. The Fund awards post-secondary education scholarships to children of our Canadian Armed Forces, both Forces and Reserves, who were killed while serving in an active role in a military mission or who died from suicide attributed to military service since 2002.
“I was just graduating from high school when my father was killed, and quickly learned that whether as a young child or a young adult, the impact of losing a parent in the military in such an abrupt way was not only tragic – but very isolating as well,” said CCSF alumni Kirsten Hess Von Kruedener, whose father, Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener, was killed in South Lebanon in July of 2006 while serving with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization. “As CCSF recipients, we immediately become part of a network of friends who have shared this similar experience. We are all bound by sorrow, but we’re strengthened by our community as well, and able to reflect together to honour our loved ones."
Honouring the legacy of their fallen parent, CCSF alumni represent strong, contributing members of their local communities and exemplify the transformational impact of post-secondary education on young lives. This year, the special ceremony will include recognition of several Scholarship Fund alumni from the past decade whose lives have been deeply impacted by the financial relief and the nurturing community of support that the scholarship has fostered amongst its recipients.
“We are firmly committed to supporting these families and helping these children in any way we can,” says Blake Goldring, Founder and Chair of Canada Company. “The impact they feel is both emotional and financial. We recognize the importance of providing them with monetary assistance and the value of a post-secondary education in their futures.”
The 2017 Canada Company Scholarship Fund recipients are:
Katherine Arnold, Pembroke, ON
Kristopher Beerenfenger, Oromocto, NB
Connor Bobbitt, Wolfville, NS
Elizabeth Bobbitt, Wolfville, VS
Jacob Elms, Kingston, ON
Chelsey Hendrickson, Lincoln, NB
Kari Anne Kruse, Fredericton, NB
Maude Mercier, Quebec City, QC
Kiera Mitchell, Edmonton, AB
Kestrel Musselman, Halifax, NS
Charles Parker, Courtice, ON
Sarah Stewart, Miramichi, NB
Elliott Webb, Kingston, ON
Samantha Webb, Montreal, QC
Canada Company Scholarship Fund Key Facts -
- $400,000 has been awarded since the Fund’s inception
- There have been 125 scholarships to 42 students
- The total amount of the Fund is $3 million
For Canada Company, a registered charity that assists and advocates for those serving or those who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces, “The deeply foundational and emotional support of the scholarship is just as important as the financial support that it offers its recipients,” says Canada Company president, Angela Mondou. “These kids give each other career advice, academic support and they build meaningful relationships with other kids who have faced a similar situation – and that’s something they value greatly."
The Canada Company Scholarship Fund strives to continually evolve to meet the needs of the modern military family – and is now the largest scholarship fund of its kind in the country.
About Canada Company
Canada Company is a federally registered charity created in 2006 by Canadian businessman and Honorary Colonel, Blake Goldring M.S.M., LL.D., CFA. Canada Company takes pride in serving our country in many ways, celebrating our Military heroes, and their families, and fostering a mutually beneficial exchange between Canada's remarkable military tested resources and our innovative Canadian business community – helping create a Better Canada.
A trusted Program Builder, Canada Company offers the Military Employment Transition - MET Program; hosts the National Transition Symposium and Strategic Knowledge Exchange; and funds Scholarships for children of military members killed while serving on an active mission with the Canadian Armed Forces. To learn more visit: CanadaCompany.ca.