Lee Hepner Award Fund

The Lee Hepner Music Award Fund was established in 1986 in memory of Dr. Lee Hepner, founder and conductor of the McMaster Symphony Orchestra and co-founder of the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Hugh Fraser, a writer for The Hamilton Spectator, stated that Dr. Hepner “provided the environments in which our best young musicians learned the great music of our civilization.”

The fund honours Dr. Hepner’s dedication to the development of young musicians and singers.

Donald H. Henderson Fund

Donald Henderson

After remembering several family members, friends and two hospitals in his Will, Donald Henderson generously left the residue of his estate to the Foundation for the needs of the Hamilton community.

A long time Hamilton resident (and brother of prominent community leader Nora Frances Henderson for whom one of the civic hospitals was named), Don Henderson was a businessman with a great interest in politics, finance and history. He was President and subsequently Vice-Chairman of Steetley Industries Limited until his retirement in 1974, and his business acumen was highly regarded by several other corporations on whose boards he also served. He and his late wife Dot were avid golfers and curlers.

Excerpt from 1992-1993 Annual Report

Barbara and Bob Harwood Fund

Bob and Barbara Harwood

Barbara and Bob Harwood’s generosity has been inspired by the blessings of a lifetime.

Barbara and Bob Harwood have been generous supporters of many Hamilton charities over the years, so their response was immediate and positive when their financial advisor, Dan Wynnyk at CIBC Wood Gundy suggested they might wish to set up a permanent fund with Hamilton Community Foundation.

“Thinking about the future, a fund at HCF made perfect sense,” says Barb. “We can focus on alleviating poverty and also give the Foundation flexibility to meet community needs as they change over time.” They plan to build the fund during their lifetimes and then add to their legacy through bequests.

Both Barb and Bob grew up in families that valued giving back to the community. Bob recalls a seminal incident in World War II when half his B.C. high school classmates disappeared overnight as Canadians of Japanese origin were arbitrarily relocated. During and after the war, Barb’s father gave many needy families free coal until they got on their feet. Decades later, one relocated Japanese-Canadian family attended his funeral in Burlington and expressed gratitude for his generosity. Barb remembers her father saying‘no one will go without heat because they can’t pay.’ “That stays with you,” she says.

The couple’s tradition of giving back is strong. Interested in outreach and interfaith dialogue, they are long-time volunteer leaders in the United Church. Barb spent her career in various nursing roles at McMaster while Bob’s terms as chair in the early days of Wesley Urban Ministries cemented his commitment to his adopted city.

Barb is a fourth-generation Hamiltonian and both sides of her family have made distinguished contributions to the community. Retired from his career in marketing, Bob has published two books and numerous articles on social issues. He still writes a monthly column on world affairs. The Harwoods were attracted to Hamilton Community Foundation for various reasons. Barb cites the Foundation’s breadth of work and its impact on poverty. Bob highlights its commitment to working collaboratively and its strong fiscal management. But their incentive to give is the same.

“We both feel very blessed and very fortunate, therefore we need to share,” says Barb. Through the Barbara and Bob Harwood Fund at Hamilton Community Foundation, that sharing will continue in perpetuity.

Excerpt from 2010-2011 Annual Report

Christine Hamilton Scholarship Fund

Christine Hamilton

Christine Hamilton embodied many of the best characteristics of this city. She arrived here as an immigrant in 1949. (She put a hatpin in a map and “it stuck in Hamilton. So did I,” she was fond of saying.) Unpretentious, resilient, with a big heart, a raucous sense of humour and a flair for storytelling, she is best known for inventing The Geritol Follies in 1976 and guiding its growth from a recreational choir for seniors into a much-loved Hamilton institution.

Audiences in Hamilton, as well as in Mississauga, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Toledo and Florida, have been roaring with laughter and applauding the song and dance antics of the Geritol Follies ever since. Hundreds of seniors in their 60s, 70s and 80s have had the joy of performing. Our attitude to aging has been forever changed.

Christine Hamilton’s legacy will live on – not only through the continuing performances of the Follies, but also through scholarships established in her honour at Hamilton Community Foundation for students in Gerontology at McMaster University.

Christine Hamilton may have left us in March 2002, but her spirit and her legacy will continue to shape the community she helped to build.

Excerpt from 2001-2002 Annual Report

Gladys and Edward Halloran

Gladys and Edward Halloran

Gladys and Edward Halloran

Edward and Gladys Halloran were hard-working, down-to-earth people with a love for Hamilton and for helping others. They quietly left an extraordinary estate legacy to a number of local charitable organizations, including a substantial gift to Hamilton Community Foundation.

The Hallorans lived a modest but rewarding life. Edward was a naval veteran with a passion for invention, registering a number of patents in the U.S. He also owned and operated several Hamilton taxi cabs. Gladys ran a hairstyling business, loved people and animals, and had a keen interest in local politics. Gladys passed away in 2002 and Edward two years later. They left behind extended family but no direct descendants.

It was Colin Corner, CFP, the Hallorans’ financial advisor, who learned of their passion for giving and suggested they consider the Hamilton Community Foundation. “The Foundation met their need to have a local focus and the ability to reach many charities and important community programs,” says Colin, who was a co-executor for the Hallorans’ estates along with their nephew, Michael Melitzer. “They found the Foundation was well-managed and took comfort in its high-profile Board of Directors.”

Through their estates, the Hallorans left donations to nearly 20 local organizations, with HCF as the residual beneficiary. “Michael and I feel they were two very special people with hearts of gold, who had a great love for the city of Hamilton and its people,” Colin says affectionately. “Their gift to Hamilton Community Foundation was made to benefit the city for years to come.”

Excerpt from Spring 2006 Newsletter

J. M. Walter Hahn Fund

John Milton Walter Hahn, born in Mildmay in 1903, lived in Kitchener until he came to Hamilton in 1927. He was employed at the G.T. French Paper Company and later became a partner in the company with his brother, Edward. Mr. Hahn was an active charter member of the Westdale United Church a Director for 22 years of the Hamilton and District Association of the Mentally Retarded, a 32nd Degree Mason and Past Grand Counselor of United Commercial Travelers of Ontario-Quebec.

He was a quiet, helpful man who enjoyed his home and golfing in his spare time.

Excerpt from 1992-1993 Annual Report

Catherine Anne Gretton

Catherine Gretton

Catherine Gretton was not easily intimidated. In Sudbury in 1978, when her husband was a company representative on the negotiating committee during a long strike at the Inco nickel mines, the union staged a rally and started making its way to her home. Worried, her husband Wally called to warn her to stay away from the windows when the mob arrived. Instead, Catherine dashed to the front porch with her camera and snapped photos that were later scooped up by the national papers. Her explanation? “They came for attention and I gave it to them!”

Born in 1928 in Hamilton, Catherine grew up as an only child during the Depression. Those early years had two lasting effects on her, said her son John – she remained frugal and friendly all her life. “With just my brother Tom and me, our family was small but it was never lonely because she loved to make big meals, play bridge and entertain. On Christmas Eve we often had parties for 50 or more.”

A graduate of Delta Collegiate and Hamilton Business College, Catherine worked for the Hamilton Harbor Commission and later as a real estate agent. For several years she volunteered on the Board of the YWCA and had a special interest in the cause of children and battered women. “She wrote many angry letters of protest to the Nestle company when it promoted formula over breast milk in Third World countries,” John recalls.

Catherine and Wally, who married in 1956, shared the belief that involving children in organized sports develops character and confidence. Wally played water polo and was a competitive swimmer, coached by Jimmy Thompson. He felt it had created opportunities he might not have had otherwise. Tom explained that both his parents wanted to help an organization that would give deprived children a similar chance. Catherine’s bequest to the Hamilton Community Foundation has been placed in the Ontario Endowment for Children and Youth in Recreation Fund.

Excerpt from 2000-2001 Annual Report

Dr. Ronald P. Graham Fund

Dr. Ronald Graham

Dr. Ronald Graham’s illustrious 50-year association with McMaster University touched every aspect of campus life. He served as the university’s first bedel, sat on the Senate, chaired the department of chemistry, was named Dean of Science for Hamilton College and later became Dean of Science Studies.

The Ottawa-born chemist arrived at McMaster in 1942, after completing his Ph.D. at Columbia University in New York. During the Second World War he carried out classified research on methods for defending against chemical warfare. Students recall that while he was often intimidating in the classroom, admonishing them to observe, measure and write with care. Outside the lecture hall, he dropped the stern persona to reveal a warm, caring side.

Dr. Graham’s nephew, Michael Etherington of Oakville, recalls that his uncle was an incredible communicator and storyteller. “He had an eloquent turn of phrase reminiscent of Winston Churchill’s style of writing. His words really meant something. His letters were keepsakes not only for what they said, but because he had the most elegant handwriting.” He said, adding that his uncle was a very private man with a wonderful sense of humour.

Along with the Foundation, several charities were remembered in Dr. Graham’s will.

Excerpt from 1995-1996 Annual Report

David Gow

David Gow was not a wealthy man, but he really believed in giving back to the community where he lived and worked. He was a volunteer for dozens of organizations in Hamilton, and was recognized as Citizen of the Year in 1992. When he died in 1999, he left several bequests, including a legacy to the Hamilton Community Foundation.

From his involvement as a board member of our Foundation, he knew that an unrestricted gift to the Community Fund would help not only the scores of organizations that he cared about, but many others in the fields of social services, arts and culture, health, education, environment and recreation. Since his death, the Foundation has made grants from the Community Fund to foodbanks, women’s shelters, and arts organizations that were dear to David, along with many other groups.

David also knew that needs and opportunities change in a community over time. His gift, combined with many other unrestricted gifts to the Community Fund, provides the flexibility that allows us to respond to community needs today and changing future needs.

Excerpt from 1998-1999 Annual Report

Alice Redman Gooch Fund

Alice Redman Gooch

Blunt-spoken and fiercely independent, but with the softest of hearts, Alice Redman Gooch enjoyed life to the fullest throughout her almost 92 years.

The daughter of an inventor, Mrs. Gooch was educated in the United States but settled in the St. Catharines area. She had some inherited wealth but also worked as an interior decorator, and started a packaging and storage service for frozen goods. She was married only briefly and had no children.

Her friend Maureen Raham remembers with admiration a woman who could fly a plane, produce beautiful needlework, drive a sizeable motorboat, and who once took a mechanic’s course so she could make sure “no one will pull a fast one on me” when she took her beloved Cadillac in for service. She also remembers her friend’s love of community, her many volunteer efforts, and her quiet financial assistance to both organizations and individuals.

Alice Gooch planned her estate with community interests in mind. Back in 1990 she took out an insurance policy and made Hamilton Community Foundation the beneficiary. When she died in July 2004, other beneficiaries of her estate included the Niagara Community Foundation, Brock University, Niagara Children’s Safety Village, St. Catharines General Hospital and the Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre.

Excerpt from 2004-2005 Annual Report