Events

Canada Company marks 10 years of awarding scholarships to children of the fallen

Mishall Rehman June 26, 2017

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Canada Company announced the 14 recipients of this year’s Canada Company Scholarship Fund (CCSF) on Friday June 23.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the fund.

“We are firmly committed to supporting these families and helping these children in any way we can. The impact they feel is both emotional and financial. We recognize the importance of providing them with monetary assistance and the value of a post-secondary education in their futures,” said Blake Goldring, Founder and Chair of Canada Company.

Established in 2007, the CCSF awards scholarships to children of Canadian Armed Forces who were either killed while serving in an active role or who died from suicide attributed to military service.

Over the last decade the fund has made a considerable impact on the lives of 42 students who have received more than $400,000 since CCSF’s inception.

“Supporting the families and the children of the members who served and those who end up tragically getting killed is a really important thing for Canada Company to do,” said Angela Mondou, Canada Company president.

Not only does the scholarship serve as a solid foundation for the future of its recipients but it also creates a community of emotional support for the recipients.

“These kids give each other career advice, academic support and they build meaningful relationships with other kids who have faced a similar situation – and that’s something they value greatly,” added Mondou.

This year’s announcement ceremony recognized several Scholarship Fund alumni from the past decade whose lives have been impacted by the scholarship. One of these alumni was Kirsten Hess Von Kruedener, whose father, Major Paeta Hess-Von Kruedener, was killed in South Lebanon in July of 2006 while serving with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization.

“I feel like receiving this scholarship is two fold: of course there’s the monetary impact that Canada Company has; which, of course, is helping you with your schooling, which is so wonderful in such a difficult time that you have so much to do deal with when a parent passes away,” said Hess Von Kruedener.

Hess Von Kruedener’s father passed away when she was in her second year of university.

“Having that adaptation [university life] and dealing with the grief of the passing of my father, it’s a lot on your plate. So, receiving those funds from Canada Company really lifted a huge weight off of my shoulders and off of my mom’s shoulders in terms of worrying about the tuition for my schooling,” added Hess Von Kruedener.

The CCSF alum also attests to the social impact the scholarship has. Hess Von Kruedener remembers she had never met anyone who had lost a parent due to military service before receiving the funds and the experience helped to lift the feeling of isolation.

“It’s really a wonderful experiences to be able to connect with other young people who have gone through the same things as myself,” commented Hess Von Kruedener.

Hess Von Kruedener was able to attend interior design school thanks to the scholarship. Today, she is three years into her interior design career, working at a residential interior design firm in Mississauga, ON.

This year’s recipients are as follows: