The Community Foundation Grey Bruce (CFGB) has announced the establishment of the Kathy Canning Special Olympics Alpine Skiing Endowed Fund. This fund will support athletes’ access and participation in Special Olympics Alpine Skiing programs and competitions, with a particular interest in the Blue Mountain Special Olympics Alpine Ski Team. The team at Blue is one of the largest and most successful Special Olympics teams in Canada, and local Alpine skiers have dominated the podiums internationally over the past 25 years.
Since its inception in 1997, the Special Olympics Alpine Ski team at Blue Mountain has supported and developed participants, not just athletically, but also socially and emotionally. Each skier is supported by a broad network of peers, coaches, and volunteers.
“Since we started, the team has improved the quality of life for all who have been involved over the years,” said founder Patty Federer.
That number of people is in the hundreds, given the team supports 35 athletes every year as well as engaging over 40 volunteers and coaches.
This fund has been initiated by Gord Canning in memory of his late wife Kathy (Weider) Canning who died in 2007. Kathy was a very talented downhill skier who raced for the Canadian National B Ski Team and won such honours as the Ladies Quebec Senior Alpine Championship in 1964. Kathy went on to race for the University of Grenoble in France in 1965. She could be seen almost daily on the slopes of Blue Mountain. Kathy was engaged with the Special Olympics Alpine Ski Team in the formative years of its development. This fund in her memory will ensure ongoing support for Special Olympics Alpine Skiing and continuance of support for participants.
The new fund is managed by Community Foundation Grey Bruce. Donations can be accepted online by visiting www.communityfoundationgreybruce.com
Created in 1994, Community Foundation Grey Bruce has a mandate to enhance community vitality by fostering open discussion about local need, sharing knowledge, and growing endowments to provide strategic granting and support to a wide range of non-profit organizations. The Foundation’s vision is that everyone in Grey Bruce benefits from a vital, healthy, and resilient community.
