A new bursary fund has been established to honour the memory of the Willow River 8, a group of local teens who lost their lives in a canoeing accident on the Willow River 50 years ago.
The fund, named the Willow River 8 Memorial Bursary, was launched with a donation of $21,000, which will provide support to future students at Prince George Secondary School (PGSS).
On Thursday, Nov. 21, members of the PGSS Class of 1974 Reunion team presented the cheque to PGSS Principal Randy Halpape, marking the formal establishment of the fund. The money was raised through a silent auction at the class’s 50th reunion in June, along with additional donations from alumni and local supporters.
“The fund is named in honour of our classmates who never had the chance to graduate and experience life’s full potential,” said Dan Robin, leader of the reunion team.
Robin was joined at the presentation by fellow team members Gerald Van Caeseele, Lori Dennill (nee Power), and Gaetano Mauro, as well as about two dozen other members of the Class of 1974.
The bursary will be awarded annually to a PGSS student who has shown outstanding leadership both in school and in the community, and who plans to continue their education. Robin explained that the goal was to give back to the community, and the overwhelming response exceeded expectations. “We originally aimed to raise $5,000, and we were shocked and thrilled when the silent auc-tion raised more than double that,” he said.
“Then, additional donations brought the total to $21,000.”
Dennill, who led the effort to gather more than 100 auction items from local businesses and alumni, said the generosity from all involved helped make the fund self-sustaining.
“The support from the community has been incredible,” she said.
The presentation ceremony, held in front of the “Willow” bear statue in the PGSS foyer, was an emotional one, with attendees expressing their gratitude and admiration.
“This is a good news story com-ing from an unspeakable tragedy,” Robin said. “Our eight classmates were vibrant, communityminded young men who would have contributed so much to the world. Now, through this memo-rial bursary, they can continue to give back.”
The Willow River 8 Memorial Bursary Fund remains open for donations, with the possibility of expanding the fund to support more students in the future. The bursary will be administered by the Prince George Community Foundation. Tax-receipted donations can be made through the Foundation’s website at www.pgcf.ca.
