Scholarship Fund
HELPING HORTICULTURE STUDENTS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
The BC Council of Garden Clubs’ Scholarship Fund assists Canadian students resident in BC in furthering their education in horticulture in a recognized accredited college or university through the granting of scholarships and bursaries.
The capital of the fund comes from donations made by garden clubs throughout BC as well as bequests and other sources. These donations become and remain part of the capital fund. The capital fund is held and managed by the Vancity Community Foundation.
The Scholarship Fund Committee is responsible for encouraging donations and for allocating the available funds to BC educational facilities for students in their horticultural-related programs.
HOW THE FUND WORKS
Our members kindly donate funds to the Scholarship Fund.
The funds are held with the Vancity Community Foundation (VCF) as a Donor Advised Fund. This means that the Scholarship Fund Committee decides on the award levels and distribution of available funds each year. VCF recommends the distribution of 4% of the value of the fund each year. The funds are then distributed to the academic institutions where the financial aid offices identify scholarship candidates.
VOLUNTEER Opportunities
The committee meets approximately ten times a year and is charged with the administration of the Scholarship Fund, including maintaining contact with: educational institutions receiving awards from the Scholarship Fund; Vancity Community Foundation, which administers the funds; clubs, individuals, and associations that donate to the fund; as well as with students receiving awards.
A familiarity with administrative practices, good computer skills, and a willingness to work with others are assets that are needed. Knowledge of non-profits, streamlining processes, or fundraising would also be beneficial.
If this is of interest to you and you would like more information, the current chairperson below, would be delighted to hear from you.
For more information on the Scholarship Fund, please feel free to email us .
Betty is a member of the Vancouver Dahlia Society and the South Burnaby Garden Club. She is a senior judge with the American Dahlia Society and a judging instructor with the Federation of Northwest Dahlia Growers. She co-chairs the annual Vancouver Dahlia Society Show. Unlike most gardeners, Betty did not grow up in a gardening family and only caught the gardening bug once she had her own garden. After obtaining a diploma of nursing from the Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing, she went on to obtain a BSN from the University of Victoria and an MN from Athabasca University. When she retired from Fraser Health in 2019, Betty spent two years as a contract faculty member with the School of Health at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where she saw firsthand how important scholarship support can be to many students. With climate change, food security has never been as important as it is now, and future horticulturalists hold the key to understanding how all of us will be able to thrive in the future.
Debbie was born and raised in the idyllic setting of Ocean Park and cannot imagine a better place to grow up. She is a member of the South Surrey Garden Club and has belonged to a number of committees. In September Deb will take on the role of Vice President. Gardeners are simply the best people, and by volunteering and joining committees, she have met so many members, who, through the years, have taught her, supported her, and become great friends.Before retiring Debbie worked for Kwantlen Polytechnic University Foundation in the awards and scholarships program. Joining the BCCGC scholarship committee seemed like a natural fit and she looks forward to the role.
Darlene Kalawsky is an automotive management specialist with three decades of successful experience in Automotive Dealership operations.
Currently Vice President/owner of Kalawsky Auto Group, a collective of five auto dealerships in the Kootenay Region of Southern British Columbia, she is a strong believer in the power of positive thinking in the workplace.
During her automotive career she has been community coordinator for the Kalawsky Auto Group. For Darlene volunteering has been a way of life. It was how she grew up. It defines her.
She works to inspire others to give back to their communities in any way they can, not because they have to, but because they want to.
Darlene has served as Board member and Chair for many organizations, Friends of the Castlegar Library, Selkirk College Board of Governors, BC SPCA, Communities in Bloom, the Canadian Peony Society and Rotary .
She was instrumental in the development of the Communities in Bloom program for the City of Castlegar, and it’s now famous Sculpturewalk Program.
Through a partnership of the Canadian Peony Society and many local volunteers Castlegar was host to the 2019 National Peony Festival which entertained guests throughout Canada and USA. A first for the Province of BC.
Currently Darlene serves as Board Chair for BC Communities in Bloom, and as Director for National Communities in Bloom, BC Yukon Director of the Canadian Peony Society, and Chair of the Castlegar Garden Club.
Darlene values family time, being inspired by her granddaughters, travelling, and always spending time gardening.