Allan Gaumond – Geritol Follies Bursary Fund

Allan Gaumond PHOTOI went to Westmount Secondary School in Hamilton, and following graduation I went to Mohawk College and completed a three-year Applied Music Diploma. After Mohawk, I attended the University of Toronto earning a Bachelor degree in Jazz Performance, followed by OISE where I completed my Bachelor of Education.

My grandfather was a member of the Geritol Follies at the time and he informed me that there may be a bursary opportunity through Hamilton Community Foundation. At a time when I wasn’t eligible for many financial assistance options, the bursary was critical in my ability to attend the University of Toronto.

I currently teach music to middle school and high school students at Hillfield Strathallan College in Hamilton. I also direct the Rising Stars Jazz Band, which is a member of the Hamilton All Star Jazz Bands.

I would thank the Geritol Follies Committee for giving me the opportunity to attend such a prestigious and exclusive program as the one offered at the University of Toronto. Being a part of that program opened up many professional doors to me, both educational and performance based. Without assistance from HCF, it may not have been possible for me to attend that program.

Terry Cooke

Terry Cooke joined HCF as President & CEO in 2010.  In this 60th anniversary video, he reflects on HCF’s unique role in Hamilton, and the importance of “leaving the place stronger than we found it.”

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Judith McCulloch

Judith McCulloch was HCF’s first full-time leader.  In this 60th anniversary video she reflects on the growth of the Foundation and its impact.

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John & Sandra Black

John and Sandra Black’s philanthropy is directed to meeting Hamilton’s greatest needs. They particularly like HCF’s research-based approached to understanding  community needs and the best way to meet them, as they discussed in this 2014 video.

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Dr. Leila Ryan

Dr. Leila Ryan was Chair of the Foundation when the Foundation decided to direct the majority of its unrestricted granting to poverty reduction – the first community foundation in Canada to do so.  Leila reflects on the importance of that decision in this 2014 video.

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Murray Hogarth

Murray Hogarth is the founder of Pioneer Energy LP, sponsors of HCF’s 60th anniversary.  In this 2014 video he discusses why he chose Hamilton Community Foundation as an efficient vehicle for his company’s and his family’s philanthropy.

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Carolyn Milne

As President & CEO from 1995 to 2009 Carolyn Milne was the driving force behind the Foundation’s strategic approach to addressing Hamilton’s complex needs.  In this 60th anniversary video, she reflects on HCF’s ability to bring people together to improve the lives of their fellow Hamiltonians.   

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Michael & Louise Creaghan

Michael & Louise Creaghan

Michael & Louise Creaghan

Michael and Louise Creaghan share the belief that commitment to family then community is crucial. Both have volunteered extensively throughout their lives and know first-hand that working with others on grassroots projects gives people a sense of caring for their neighbours. Whether it’s through daycare, school organizations, sports, church and volunteer associations, people need to find ways to contribute. They point to the Cathy Wever Elementary School in north Hamilton as a good example of the difference community involvement can make for a neighbourhood. The steps may be small and it may take time to see results, but the approach works.

The couple both spent long careers in education in Hamilton – Michael as a teacher and guidance counsellor; Louise as an English and physical education teacher and then, after raising their own children, as an ESL teacher giving young new Canadians 180 min­utes each day of, as she calls it, “fundamental survival English.” After working in many Hamilton schools, they retired together from Sir John A. Macdonald Sec­ondary School in the downtown.

It’s natural that their philan­thropic passion is helping nur­ture community vitality. The Creaghans approached Hamilton Community Foundation with a general sense of what they wanted to do through their fund: provide support to organizations that are building and improv­ing the community. To achieve this, Michael and Louise rely on the Foundation’s research and knowledge to propose specific projects that target community priorities.

“The Foundation staff identify urgent needs and present them to us, knowing the kinds of change we want to support,” says Louise. Examples of their contributions include support for the Native Women’s Shelter renovations and the Neighbourhood Leadership Institute that HCF has launched to encourage and train local grass­roots leaders. As Michael points out, their investment has often been the catalyst for others to provide support as well.

The Creaghans rely on the skill and sensitivity of the Founda­tion’s staff, their in-depth knowl­edge and understanding of com­munity needs and opportunities. They also commend Hamilton Community Foundation’s ability to provide co-operation and lead­ership to other organizations in a non-partisan way.

Excerpt from 2013-14 Annual Report

John Frid

John Frid

John Frid

John Frid – also known by his stage name Jonathan Frid – was an accomplished actor with a 50-year career that began in a school play at Hillfield School, the precursor to Hillfield Strathallan College.

He pursued his love of acting at the Hamilton Players’ Guild and, after serving in the Royal Canadian Navy during WWII, John graduated from McMaster University in 1948. He went on to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and later to the Yale School of Drama.

To the public, he was best known for his role as vampire Barnabas Collins in the gothic TV daytime drama Dark Shadows that aired 1,225 episodes between 1966 and 1971. He received a reported 6,000 fan letters a week at the height of the show’s popularity and continued to attend Dark Shadows festivals throughout his life. But that role was just one aspect of a distinguished career that included starring roles in theatre and television in the U.S., Canada and England, opposite stars like Katharine Hepburn and Jean Stapleton. 

John Frid

Jonathan Frid as Vampire Barnabus Collins

Although he spent much of his life in New York City, he remained a Canadian citizen and kept strong ties to Hamilton, ultimately moving back to Ancaster in 1994. Says his nephew Donald Frid, “I think he wanted to be close to family and friends in the latter stages of his life. Despite liv­ing away for so long, he knew his heritage was here. He was very proud of the city.”

John believed in the Foundation as a way of supporting a vibrant community. His father Herbert Frid was one of the founders of HCF in 1954 and his mother Flora served on the Foundation’s Board in the 1960s. Their generous philanthropy continues to this day through the Community Fund’s Herbert P. & I. Flora Frid Fund. Their son is following in their footsteps.

“My uncle John was warm, encouraging, and generous, like his mother was,” says Don.

John established his fund in 2002 and enjoyed seeing the difference his gift made during his lifetime. His gift ensures that the John H. Frid Fund will continue that legacy to the Hamilton community he loved.

Excerpt from 2013-14 Annual Report

Bob and Irene Cowan

Bob and Irene Cowan chose the Cowan Family Fund as a way to say thanks

Sacrifices, rewards and a desire to simply “tell them thanks” are the inspiration for The Cowan Family Fund at Hamilton Community Foundation.

The bursary fund honours Bob and Irene Cowan, reflecting their gratitude for the support they received as seniors: from the care Irene has needed in later years, to the assistance that enabled Bob to live at home to age 93. They realized the special skills required by those working with seniors, so this fund will support McMaster University students with an emphasis on those studying gerontology.

Irene and Bob met during the Second World War, and she sacrificed much to join him in Canada. Bob came from a large farming family, and commitments meant sacrificing formal education. Still, he pursued self-education while working as a stationary engineer and following his dream to farm.

Irene, meantime, encouraged an entrepreneurial spirit in their five children, helping them grow and sell vegetables to earn money for “extras.” Married for 65 years, they stubbornly held onto their farm through good times and bad. Ultimately, it was the sale of the land that made The Cowan Family Fund possible.

In later years, both had health challenges requiring long-term care for Irene, while Bob remained on the farm. Still, they always felt lucky to have “caring people in our corner.”

“The bursary represents their desire to pay it forward,” says daughter Lorraine Peckham. “They both felt that nobody should fail to realize their potential because of monetary restrictions.”

Excerpt from Legacy newsletter, Fall 2013