Dignitaries from CFSEA and PEP pose with the $77,448 cheque at the Esplanade on Friday.--NEWS PHOTO ANNA SMITH
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Palliser Economic Partnership presented the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta with more than $75,000 to help support new veterinary students in the region.
The funds were generated at a recent event by PEP, after recognizing the need for more practising veterinarians in southeastern Alberta, says PEP chairman Arno Doerksen.
“Palliser economic partnership had recognized a gap in an essential service within southeast Alberta, and to address that, they established the Southeast Alberta Veterinarian Medicine Scholarship Fund at the CFSEA,” said executive director Niki Gray. “The purpose of the fund is to help support students who are interested in pursuing their veterinarian practice within the community.”
Initial discussion was brought on when PEP found out the University of Calgary had increased the number of new students accepted into the program. Seeing the opportunity to help meet the needs of the community, PEP raised a total of $77,448 which was given to CFSEA to create the fund.
Like all funds, the money will be held in perpetuity by CFSEA, and the new endowment fund used to support veterinary students coming back to southeastern Alberta with various aspects of pursuing the profession such as tuition.
“To be able to do this feels really good, and I think particularly because there was so much support from across the whole PEP region, from from the whole area,” said Doerksen. “We received support from municipalities, but also businesses of all sizes. They recognize this as a need.”
CFSEA is excited to work with PEP on this new fund to help improve the region, says Gray, as it is for all its funds, which cover all manner of essential needs or the interests of donors.
“We really just want to express a huge thank you to pep and for all of their support for recognizing this need and taking a leadership role in addressing it,” said Gray. “Contributions can be made by anybody and will continue to be made by the municipalities surrounding southeast Alberta.”
