Menu

donation

UNB donation leadership-fund

$1M gift to UNB honours Dr. Suzanne Irving’s legacy

, , , ,

A generous $1 million donation to the University of New Brunswick in honour of the late Dr. Suzanne H.C. Irving will support leadership development and strengthen institutional governance.

The gift, presented by Suzanne Irving’s children, John Irving and Anne Oxley, will help establish the Suzanne Irving Leadership Fund. The fund will support UNB’s Board of Governors through leadership training, governance initiatives and professional development opportunities for board members and staff.

UNB Chancellor H. Wade MacLauchlan said the gift reflects Irving’s long-standing belief in the role universities play in building strong communities.

“​​Suzanne Irving understood that universities are key to helping our society grow and prosper,” MacLauchlan said. “This memorial gift honours her legacy of wise leadership and skilled governance by investing in the leadership capacity of the Board of Governors.”

Board of Governors Chair Janet Hoyt said the gift will help ensure future board members have access to needed training and resources.

“The composition of UNB’s Board of Governors is set out in provincial legislation, and generations of governors have brought leadership skills and a sense of mission to manage our university wisely,” Hoyt said. “This fund will ensure that the Board can develop the leadership and governance skills of its members, strengthening our university.”

The funds will help with governance training, leadership education, recruitment initiatives, committee support, resource development and specialized training for board officers and staff.

Born in Saint John, Irving was the daughter of Dr. Isaac Keillor Farrer and Marjorie Cameron (Matheson) Farrer. After graduating from Saint John High School, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dalhousie University and later qualified as a registered radiology technician. She returned to Dalhousie to complete a Bachelor of Education and was working as a teacher when she married New Brunswick entrepreneur John Ernest “Jack” Irving.

Irving became widely known for her commitment to community service and philanthropy. Her contributions included serving on the boards of UNB and the New Brunswick Museum, support for Symphony New Brunswick, the Imperial Theatre and the New Brunswick Medical Education Trust. She also received the Rotary Club’s Paul Harris Fellow Award for community service.

She served three terms on UNB’s Board of Governors between 1984 and 1993 after being appointed by the province’s Lieutenant Governor in Council. During her tenure, she earned a reputation for strong leadership, professionalism and a commitment to effective governance. In 2015, UNB awarded her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in recognition of her contributions.

John Irving said the fund reflects his mother’s lifelong belief in education and leadership.

“Our mother, Suzanne Irving, believed in the power of education and the importance of strong leadership,” he said. “Through this fund, we hope to support future leaders who will help guide the University of New Brunswick for generations to come, while honouring her lifelong commitment to learning, service, and community.”

The donation was announced during a special recognition event at a Board of Governors meeting on October 22. The board also unveiled a memorial plaque that will be displayed in the Chancellor’s Room at the Wu Conference Centre in honour of Dr. Suzanne Irving and her family.

John Irving is Chair of the Board of Acadia Broadcasting, which owns and operates this website.

Kenora Giving Challenge Oct 2 2026

Kenora area residents respond to annual giving challenge

, ,

Kenora area residents have met the challenge.

The Kenora and Lake of the Woods Community Foundation held its Giving Challenge, which encourages residents to donate money to its endowed funds.

The one-day event raised more than $125,000.

Over $32,000 was collected last year.

This year’s campaign was aided by several donors who were willing to match donations.

“We are appreciative of the generosity of our donors, agency fund holders, partners and volunteers. This is what community philanthropy looks like,” states the Foundation in a release.

“Every dollar invested in an endowed fund helps build a lasting source of funding for local charities. Today’s gifts become tomorrow’s grants.”

The Foundation was created 22 years ago.

Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau - summer(1)

Fort Frances council to provide donation to Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau

, ,

The town of Fort Frances will provide a one-time donation of $3,000 to the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau to keep its Family Centre program going.

Bureau representatives reached out to the town earlier this year, seeking help with ongoing costs.

At the time, the Bureau said it was facing rising costs and declining donations.

Some of the suggestions included the town reducing utilities, extending its liability insurance to volunteers and the town taking over the building.

Councillor Wendy Brunetta feels the Bureau is providing a valuable service, but the town should limit its support to only a donation.

“Without having a plan from them about their ongoing (operations), how they plan to sustain their organization ongoing, I’m really not in favour of any of the other options,” says Brunetta.

Council also support writing a letter to the District of Rainy River Services Board, that oversees homelessness programs in the region, to encourage their participation with the centre.

“We send a lot of money to the DSSAB, and I think that this is somewhat in their realm,” says Councillor John McTaggart.

“I’m wondering if we could not do something to bring these two groups together to facilitate something. Because if this group goes away, is it gonna fall on DSAP in any event?”

The Bureau previously indicated a lack of support from the Services Board in the past.

Mayor Andrew Hallikas, who is the town’s representative to the DRRSB, says there have been more recent discussions between the two sides.

Rainy River District School Board new logo widened

Public school board beneficiary of $75,000 gift

, , ,

The legacy of two former residents will continue with the Rainy River District School Board.

The Board says it has received a donation of $75,000 made in honour of Helen Cochlan and her sister Margaret.

“We would like to share our deepest gratitude for this donation and remain committed to recognizing both Margaret Cochlan for her dedication to teaching and Helen Cochlan for her extraordinary generosity,” states a release from the Board.

The sisters moved to Fort Frances with their family in 1929 when their father was named the local branch manager of the CIBC.

Margaret would continue schooling to become a teacher and spent a decade at schools in the Fort Frances area before moving to Alberta, where she retired in 1977 after a 40-year career.

She passed away in Winnipeg at the age of 89 in 2006.

Helen would follow her father’s footsteps in banking, enjoying a lengthy career with CIBC before retiring in 1985.

She passed away last October in Winnipeg at the age of 103.

The school intends to use the gift to support three student nutrition and support programs over the next five years.

The programs provide students with hands-on opportunities to learn cooking skills, safely use kitchen tools and appliances and provide meaningful connections to food and local food systems.

“I could not be more appreciative and thankful for this generosity and the lasting impact it will have on our students,” states Tara Rajala, Student Nutrition and Support Coordinator, in a release.

Part of the money is also going toward a new bursary in the name of Margaret Cochlan.

Stuff a Cruiser campaign Dec 2025 (2)

Annual food bank donation campaign this Saturday in Emo, Fort Frances & Rainy River

,

The annual Stuff a Cruiser campaign will be taking place this Saturday.

Food items collected will help stock food banks in Fort Frances, Emo and Rainy River.

Several thousand pounds of food were collected last year.

Auxiliary Captain of the Salvation Army Arthur Heathcote says the demand on area food banks has dramatically increased, and the public’s support of the campaign is greater than ever.

“Food insecurity has gotten to a critical point for most people, but because of events like this, it helps us keep our food pantries stocked so that when people do come looking for assistance, they’re able to find some with us,” says Heathcote.

The one-day food collection will take place on Saturday, December 6th, at Beaver Mills Market in Rainy, Cloverleaf at Emo, and in Fort Frances at Walmart, The Place, and Safeway.

It will go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Heathcote says volunteers will be handing out lists of the food banks’ needs.

“They certainly don’t have to buy everything on the list, but if you pick up one or two items every little bit helps.”

The area’s emergency and law enforcement personnel are lending a hand.

Representatives from the Ontario Provincial Police, Treaty Three Police Service, Canada Border Services Agency, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Rainy River Paramedic Services are among them.

“We have all kinds of service personnel who step up every year to help make this event happen,” says Heathcote.

“Whenever we approach them, these people are always willing to come alongside and support Stuff a Cruiser.”

All food items collected on Saturday will go to the food bank located in the community where they were received, with Fort Frances donations being split between the Salvation Army and the United Native Friendship Centre.

a hand holding a white business card against a purple background

Holiday gift card program to help needy kicks off for 35th year

, , , , , ,

Dryden’s Community Support Centre has officially launched its 35th annual Christmas Cheer Program.

The successful initiative provides gift cards in place of food hampers to help families in need over the holidays.

As the Community Support Centre’s executive director says, providing gift cards to applicants sets the program apart from traditional food banks.

“We didn’t want to duplicate that,” explains Debbie Dokuchie, adding the organization switched to gift cards during the pandemic. “So this helps people during the holiday season to spread those groceries out.”

She adds that every donation, big or small, will provide assistance to more than 300 families in need over the holidays.

People who are employed but don’t make enough money to cover the extras at Christmas are among those eligible for the program as are people receiving financial assistance or no assistance at all.

“This is the one time of the year, during the holiday season, they can have a little bit of automony,” says Dokuchie. “(They) can can purchase those items that are wants or needs within their family.”

Residents, businesses and community groups are encouraged to donate by December 1, which is also when the deadline for application closes on the organization’s website.

Ground Breaking Pic

Dryden Food Bank takes next step to completing Project Hope

, , , , , , , ,

Progress is being made on the Dryden Food Bank’s ambitious Project Hope.

After having its official groundbreaking in October, this week marked the start of phase two – preparing footings for concrete to be poured on the new building.

It marks an important step for the Dryden Food Bank’s expansion and ability to soon distribute food to more people in the region.

“Shovels are in the ground,” says Al Huckabay, manager of the Dryden Food Bank. “We are hoping to get all of the work done on the addition part with all of the footings and stuff done before frost kicks in and get some walls up and a roof on before the snow flies.”

Project Hope has been in the works since 2023 when the Dryden Food Bank purchased a building with the intention to expand its facility.

Since that time, organizers have been busy trying to fundraise in order to push the project to the second phase.

With two-thirds of the $1.5 million now collected, Huckabay says it is a sign that building is closer to completion.

“Our target is looking to open in in spring or summer of next year,” says Huckabay. “(We hope) to be totally operational by the fall of next year in our new building.”

He says once the project is complete, it will allow the Dryden Food Bank to increase capacity and be able to distribute more food, especially to the region at large.

“We will become a distribution point (for) the surrounding First Nation communities and food banks in this area, like Sioux Lookout and Red Lake,” adds Huckabay.

“Instead of trucks having to go all the way to Thunder Bay and then having to ship things back into this area, some of those trucks will be able to stop off here in Dryden, drop off the products and then our volunteers will then break it down into smaller amounts to be able to distribute out to the areas around.”

Huckabay says one of the ultimate goals of the project was to build sustainable relationships with First Nation communities.

“The next stage is continuing on in looking for funding,” says Huckabay. “We’re still looking to raise that extra $500,000 that would put us over the top to be able to just really complete the project from start to finish.”