Events:

May 20, 2010 update: Glad to share a good news story from one of our member schools.  Joyce Koornneef, the Principal at Dunnville Christian School had the following good news to share earlier this week.  "Nathan in Grade 5 won the Dunnville Legion Essay Contest last fall.  Since then, Nathan’s essay has come in first at the Zone, District, and Provincial Levels. His essay now goes on to the National Level.  Emma in Grade 8 recently took second place in the Optimist District Speech Contest in Belleville, Ontario where she won a $1,500 scholarship.  Earlier she had placed first at Optimist Club Level and second at the Zone."  Congratulations and best wishes to these students and Dunnville Christian School!   Next week Wednesday our Executive Committee is hosting a foundation forum and has invited reps from the other regional Christian school foundations in Ontario to share promotional and investment strategies and to explore avenues and opportunities for working together. Full Board meeting scheduled for next Thursday evening at 7:30 pm in Smithville.  Special guest invited to join for the meeting is Lon Swartzentruber, the Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Christian Schools Foundation. Executive Committee scheduled to meet on Wednesday, June 9 @ 10 am in the Head Office.   May 3, 2010 update: Another six weeks have slipped past since the last update.  Certainly wasn't intentional though. In recent weeks I have attended several school membership meetings and Grandparent/Senior Friend Days at the schools. Our spring newsletter issue was distributed during the second half of April.  If you have not yet received a copy please feel free to request one at 877-340-9555 or office@schoolfoundation.ca  - also available electronically via this website - see Newsletters link. This evening I am making a brief presentation at the HDCH membership meeting and attending as guest at Grandparent/Senior Friend Days at Hamilton Calvin on Wednesday, HDCH on Thursday and Burlington Trinity on Friday. Our next full FNHCS Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 27 at 7:30 pm in the SDCH Board Room next to the FNHCS Head Office in Smithville.  The plan is to bring in a special guest speaker for a portion of the meeting to help us set our vision for the future.  Should be interesting. Next FNHCS Executive Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, June 9 at 10 am in the Head Office.  If you have any comments or suggestions you wish to share with our Executive Committee please feel free to pass them along via the Head Office or directly through any of the Executive Committee members noted on the Directors link on this website. Since late January our foundation has been promoting what we do through a Facebook site.  Not intended for direct  fundraising solicitations so please feel free to join as a "fan" or simply check it our periodically at www.facebook.com/FNHCS - in fact, you don't even need to be registered on Facebook or have your own profile in order to access this information.  Only if you wish to make comments, etc. would if be necessary for you to be officially registered on Facebook. And finally, as noted below, the month of May is  Leave a Legacy™ month.  Lots of additional promotional information about this Canadian Association of Gift Planners initiative will be available through various media outlets.  For example, the Niagara area Partners were able to secure the assistance of Cogeco Niagara to host this customized Public Service Announcement" http://www.tvcogeco.com/niagara/gallerie/tvcogeco/1462-our-partners   Regards, Henry J. Koornneef, Executive Director ---------------------------------------------------------------- March 22, 2010 update: May is Leave a Legacy™ month.  Along with special Leave a Legacy™ supplements that will be included in several area newspapers, there will be a specially prepared Public Service Announcement (PSA) featured regularly during the month of May on several area cable providers.   Please visit the following link for a sneak peak of the PSA (mid way down on the left side of this page):  http://www.leavealegacy.ca/ ------------------------------------------------------------   March 11, 2010 update:  Upcoming meetings:  Executive Committee on Wednesday, April 7 @ 12:30 pm & full Board on Thursday, May 20 @ 7:30 pm.   Did you know......that intestacy is not a physical disorder?  It has nothing to do with an abdominal affliction.  Intestacy is instead a legal problem. It concerns the laws which regulate the distribution of your possessions when you die without a will.  The one way to treat the infirmities of intestacy is to make, with professional advice, a Christian will of your own, for the specific needs of your family, for the work of the Kingdom, to minimize taxes and to achieve your Christian objectives. You don't have to succumb to the grave problems of intestacy. It's curable.   The prescription is simple; make a will and keep it up-to-date!   Adapted from Money Wise Meditations by John. H. Rudy.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 18, 2010 update: The FNHCS Executive Committee met on Wednesday, February 17 - its first meeting since the AGM (Annual General Meeting held) on January 21, where appointments to the Executive Committee are ratified.  It is at this meeting following the AGM every year that positions with the Executive Committee are established.  The results of this years 'elections' are: Chair - Fred Bennink Vice-Chair - Juliette Lamb Treasurer - Theo Meester Secretary - Bill VankerKlippe Members-at-large - John Kikkert, David Rumph and Bernie Voortman Ex-officio member - Henry Koornneef, Executive Director All Executive Committee members look forward to serving in either their new or existing capacities.  Any comments or feedback you have for them are always welcome.  The Directors listing  http://www.schoolfoundation.ca/board2.html notes phone numbers and/or email addresses that you may use to contact them.  Of course, you may also direct any inquiries through our foundation office at any time.  office@schoolfoundation.ca  905-957-8172   877-340-9555  Have you seen our FaceBook site yet?  Please visit us at www.facebook.com/FNHCS become a fan and share this link with your friends and invite them to become a fan too! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- February 4, 2010 update: You are all invited to an upcoming event to be held at Beacon Christian Schools, St. Catharines Discussion and Dessert Night, Monday, February 8: Part I and Part II   Part I, 7:15 – 8:15: Have you ever thought, “How will we ever be able to afford Christian education?” Matt Dam and Don Nelson, Christian financial planners, will lead this first part of the evening focusing on financial planning for Christian education for newly married couples and new parents.  Please spread the word to those who may be interested.  Babies are welcome!  We also encourage these participants to stay for part II.   Part II, 8:15 – 9:15: Everyone is welcome to this will-planning/estate planning seminar.  Have you been putting off making or updating your will?  Do you wonder what is involved in Powers of Attorney for Property and Personal Care? Are you confused about the “living will” term?  Or…do you just find the whole process overwhelming and unpleasant? Does the notion of tax efficient gift planning interest you?  If so, please join us at this free seminar.  Henry Koornneef, the Executive Director of our Foundation, along with Maynard Wiersma from Christian Stewardship Services, will present valuable information on these topics and answer your questions.  Everyone of all ages welcome!!  There will be ample opportunity to ask questions, both verbally or in writing if you prefer.  Need more information?  Please call our Foundation office @ 905-957-8172 or 1-877-340-9555 or email @ office@schoolfoundation.ca www.schoolfoundation.ca  www.facebook.com/FNHCS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ January 26, 2010 update: As a CSA (Certified Senior Advisor), I have access to a number of invaluable resources as provided by the CASA (Canadian Academy of Senior Advisors).  I am also a Caregiver.  As such, the following article made available through CASA resonated with me.   HJK      A Caregiver’s Bill of Rights Are you a Senior? Are you living with a Senior?  Do you have a parent who is a Senior?  Do you know a Senior in your neighbourhood?  Then this column is for you. Not everyone is cut out to be a Caregiver. They give and give and give, expecting nothing in return. But Family Caregivers have rights too.  A Caregiver's Bill of Rights (author unknown): “I HAVE THE RIGHT… to take care of myself. This is not an act of selfishness. It will give me the capability of taking better care of my loved one. I HAVE THE RIGHT… to seek help from others even though my relatives may object. I recognize the limits of my own endurance and strength. I HAVE THE RIGHT… to maintain facets of my own life that do not include the person I care for, just as I would if he or she were healthy.  I know that I do everything that I reasonably can for this person, and I have the right to do some things just for myself. I HAVE THE RIGHT… to get angry, be depressed, and express other difficult feelings occasionally. I HAVE THE RIGHT… to reject any attempts by my loved one (either conscious or unconscious) to manipulate me through guilt, and/or depression. I HAVE THE RIGHT… to receive consideration, affection, forgiveness, and acceptance for what I do from my loved one, for as long as I offer these qualities in return. I HAVE THE RIGHT… to take pride in what I am accomplishing and to applaud the courage it has sometimes taken to meet the needs of my loved one. I HAVE THE RIGHT… to protect my individuality and my right to make a life for myself that will sustain me in the time when my loved one no longer needs my full-time help. I HAVE THE RIGHT… to expect and demand that as new strides are made in finding resources to aid physically and mentally impaired persons in our country, similar strides will be made towards aiding and supporting Caregivers. I HAVE THE RIGHT… TO BE MYSELF” Clip this article and give it to a Caregiver you know. Tell them how much you appreciate what they do for their Care-Receiver. According to Statistics Canada, approximately one-fifth of Canadians 45 and older provide some form of unpaid care for a Senior. If you’re not a Caregiver or a Care-Receiver yet, it’s only a matter of time… This article was written by Alex Handyside, a Certified Senior Advisor and the owner/operator of ScotiaCare Homecare & Caregivers Inc (www.ScotiaCare.com) serving greater Halifax and beyond.  ScotiaCare won the Maritime Business Ethics Award in 2006. Alex was the co-recipient of the 2007 Canadian CSA Award of Excellence in service of seniors, and is the founding member of the Serving Seniors Alliance. To read more articles by Alex, visit the Halifax Chronicle Herald’s blog at http://communityherald.ca/list/92 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------  January 25, 2010 update: January 29, 2010 update: Additional CSA benefit - Maturity Matters Newsletter available via following link:  http://www.canadacsa.com/newsletter/newsletter.php?id=5&agentid=2805           Today over $116,297.00 was invested in various endowments held for our member schools.  This was made possible because of a number of wonderful year-end gifts received unsolicited last month.  An endowment to a school is somewhat like an RRSP is to an individual - it is intended to provide financial support for the long-term.  Unlike an RRSP though, an endowment offers immediate income benefits as well through the annual interest income that can arranged to be immediately gifted to the school or schools and every year thereafter.  An endowed gift is a gift that keeps on giving. The general breakdown of the $116,000+ investment is as follows: $45,000 - SDCH endowment, $40,125 - Beacon endowment; $20,000 - NACE endowment;  $8,620 - Hamilton Calvin Computer Tecnology Endowment;  $850 - HDCH-John Buesink Memorial Scholarship endowment;  $500 - Trinity Christian School Endowment;  $400 - Beacon Alumni Fund;  $400 - SDCH Computer Technology endowment;  $200 - NACE Computer Technology endowment; $202 - HDCH Service Projects endowment Total endowed assets held in trust for our member schools now greater than $1.2 million. Our foundation was also blessed with over $15,000 in unsolicited year-end general donations - funds that are designated to be used to offset our ongoing promotional activities. Thank you to all of our generous supporters! -------------------------------------------------------------- December 23, 2009 update: Our foundation is now able to accept online gifts via CanadaHelps.org - if interested, please use the convenient link posted on our home page.  This site may also be used to make online donations that are intended to flow-through to one or more of our member schools.  Either indicate on the appropriate forms when making your donation - or send us an email office@schoolfoundation.ca or give us a call 877-340-9555 (905 & 416 area codes - all others 905-957-8172) to let us know of your intentions and we will gladly honor your wishes. Our home page also now includes a link to the Leave a LegacyTM (Canada) website.  Our foundation is a partner in the Golden Horseshoe Leave a Legacy Roundtable and we invite you to visit this website and view the excellent information available there. The next full Board meeting is scheduled for January 21, 2010 and will begin at 7:30 pm at Hamilton District Christian High in Ancaster.  The AGM for fiscal 08/09 will also take place at that time.  The Executive Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, February 17 at 12:30 pm at the Head Office in Smithville.  Any matters you wish to be brought to the attention of the Executive Committee should be submitted (preferrably) at least one week in advance so that it can be properly noted on the agenda. Wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Blessings, Henry Koornneef, Executive Director -------------------------------------------------------------------------- October 7, 2009 update: The Specialties Robert Legault Annual Charity Golf Tournament (see June 30 update) held this past summer was a huge success.  The disbursement of the net proceeds to the Warehouse of Hope and our designated member schools will take place this fall soon after the funds arrive in our office.  We are genuinely grateful for the efforts of the Legualt folks for organizing this wonderful event now eight years in a row.  To date, over $100,000 has been raised for the benefit of the intended charities.  Thank you Mr. Robert Legault and staff! As of September 1 each year we begin a new fiscal year and again this year, we are anticipating and hoping for a busy and productive fall season.  Plans are being made to participate at Grandparent and Grandfriend Days at various member schools as well as at school fall membership or society meetings.   It is at a number of these school meetings that annual disbursement cheques will be presented.  It is our priviledge to be able to support our member schools with an annually increasing amount of funding - much of which is used by the respective schools to supplement existing or new bursary or scholarship programs. We search out a variety of venues each year where we can provide exposure for our Foundation and thereby inform and educate our school supporters about the various means in which they can support our member schools.  This type of long-term support is intended to compliment the short-term fundraising efforts of the individual member schools.  If you would like us to make a short presentation or speak at your event, please do not hesitate to contact our Head Office or any Director (complete listing can be found on Director's link on the home page). Our fall newsletter issue is nearly ready and distribution is expected to begin either just before or shortly after the Thanksgiving weekend.  Look for this completely revamped publication that effectively builds on our partnership in the Leave a LegacyTM program promoted and supported in part by the Canadian Association of Gift Planners.  The Board of Directors is secheduled to meet for its first of three meetings this fiscal year on Thursday, October 15 at 7:30 pm in the Smithville Christian High Board Room right next to our Foundation's Head Office.  The Executive Committee, mandated to oversee ongoing operational matters, is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, December 4 at 12:30 pm in the Head Office.  Any matters or suggestions individuals or member schools wish to bring to our attention are naturally most welcome and may be submitted directly to office@schoolfoundation.ca - 877-340-9555 OR to any Board member. Blessings, Henry J. Koornneef, Executive Director --------------------------------------------------------------------- June 30, 2009 update: Although Board, Executive or Investment Advisory Committee meetings do not normally take place during the summer months, our work continues regardless.  Having said that, an important annual charity golf tournament takes place on Thursday, August 20th.  This is the 8th Annual Specialties Robert Legault Charity Golf Tournament in support of our Foundation and the Niagara Warehouse of Hope.  Although the Specialties Robert Legault company primarily serves the greenhouse, garden centre and nursery trade, the tournament is open to everyone!  This years tournament again takes place at the Royal Niagara Golf Club in Niagara-on-the-Lake.  For more information please call our office @ 877-340-9555 or the local Legault representative, Nancy Boekestyn @ 905-658-2167. Next Executive meeting:  Wednesday, September 16 @ 12:30 pm at the Head Office. Next full Board meeting:  Thursday, October 15 @ 7:30 pm in the SDCH Board room (next to the Head Office). Wishing you a blessed summer, Henry ------------------------------------------------------------------------  May 26, 2009 update: Wow, over 2 months have passed since the last update.  My honest intentions were to post an update no less than once per month.  This delay in posting an update can be attributed to two main reasons: the weeks have simply flown by - and we have been very busy at our foundation for the past couple of months. Since the last update, the full Board met in mid-April and the Executive Committee met on May 22.  I have also had the opportunity during the past two months to make brief presentations at several school spring membership meetings and have been invited to be a guest at a number of Grandparent  and/or Senior Days at member schools.  All of these have been great creating awareness opportunities. Although we are not planning to distribute our next newsletter issue until early fall, any ideas or suggestions you have regarding content for future issues would be appreciated.  What part about our work do you think needs to better clarified?   What do you think our focus should be in the next 2 years?  What about 5 and 10 years?  Your opinion matters. Work continues to be done on developing our Advisory Council for professional advisors.  Several individuals have already expressing strong interest in joining this networking opportunity once it is established, hopefully by early fall.  If you are a professional advisor that works within our school communities, I would welcome the opporutunity to hear from you and meet in person if desired so that I can share more about this new venture with you.  877-340-9555 or office@schoolfoundation.ca       HJK ------------------------------------------------------------------------ March 19, 2009 update: The next full FNHCS Board meeting will take place on Thursday, April 16 @ 7:30 pm in the Library Conference Room at HDCH.  Any suggestions our school supporters have that could help us refine our short-term focus would be most welcome and greatly appreciated.  Please forward any ideas you have to the Foundation office OR to any Board member listed on the Directors link.  Any one of them would be glad to hear your perspective. The spring 2009 newsletter issue is nearly ready and distribution will begin during the week of March 23rd.  An electronic version will also be posted on this website.  If you have a story you'd like to share in an upcoming issue or suggestions for newsletter content please don't hesitate to contact us.  We find "narrative philanthropy" - using stories to share the message - as the most effective means of promoting our vision of long-term support for our member schools. I have received several invites to upcoming Spring Membership meetings and Grandparent/Senior Days at our member schools.  If we meet at such an event please take a moment to introduce yourself and let me know if you have ever made us of our website and whether you found information available to be helpful.  We are always seeking feedback to measure the effectiveness of our website and suggestions about how we can make if even more user friendly...and helpful!         Enjoy Spring!         HJK -----------------------------------------------------------------------   Febuary 24, 2009 update: Our website revamp is now complete!  Although updates on any website will always be required, all major changes that our site required as a result of our growth in member schools last September and subsequent legal name change have now been completed.  Special thanks to Bob Gerryts, staff member at SDCH and partner at Trend Computer Services, for undertaking this important task, as well as Sandra VanGeest, from VanGeest Design House, for preparing the design and constucting the required components used by Bob to complete the task. The Business Names page was the prominent feature added today and we are confidant that registering an additional business name for each of our 11 member schools will assist them in promoting their foundation and growing a local brand in their respective support communities. Plans are underway to develop an Advisory Council of professional advisors willing and able to promote our cause and efforts within their clientelle.  Look for more about this in future updates.       Take care,       HJK ----------------------------------------------------------------------- February 2, 2009 update: It's been only a little more than 3 months since the last update but so much has happened since. The majority of work needed to revamp our website was completed by January 1st.  Still more to be accomplished, included a new link to be posted to note our additional business names.  Over $250,000 in donations were received in just the last quarter of 2008.  The current economic conditions have not had a negative impact on our activities.  We give thanks to Him for this! We are continuing to adjust well to the growth  in member schools.  A review of our governance structure is underway with a goal to have this completed by late spring. I already have several invites to participate at school spring membership meetings in addition to several Grandparent or Senior Days and member schools. Work to prepare a spring newsletter issue to begin soon. Several thousand mailing inserts were shared with member schools to include with their 2008 tax receipt mailings. Discussions with supporter and donors continue in order that our efforts will positively impact our member schools sooner than later. Blessings, Henry Koornneef ----------------------------------------------------- October 29, 2008 update: Website:  Our website revamp was initiated on October 28 and is still a work in progress for the next few days.  We trust you will bless us with your patience as this turned out to be a major undertaking.  Various edits still need to be done - and all the product/information sheets still need to be updated to include the new name and member schools.  Please remember, the 'concepts' and 'core message' in these information is still relevant to supporters of our new member schools.  We hope to have all updates completed within a week or two.  Thanks in advance for your patience.  HK. Newsletter:  Our fall 2008 issue is currently being distributed through our member school newsletter distribution networks.  We hope to also have this available via our NEWSLETTER link shortly.  In the meantime don't hesitate to call or email if you'd like to have a copy mailed to you.  Happy to oblidge. Grandparent/Grandfriend Days:  I am pleased to have been invited to the Jarvis Christian School's Grandfriend Day on October 29 for a "meet & greet".  I've also received an invitation for a similar "meet & greet" at the Brantford Christian School's Grandfriend Day on November 7.  ---------------------------------------------------- Supplementary Letters Patent have arrived: These are the official documents issued by the Government Ministry in Ottawa accepting our adopted By-Law #4 that admitted six new member schools as well as our Special Resolution changing our foundation's legal name to Foundation for Niagara & Hamilton area Christian Schools (FNHCS).  NOW we may begin incorporating our new legal name into publications, newsletters, stationary, etc., and in particular, we may now move forward with our website and domain name updates.  Our goal is to have the website related  tasks completed by Wednesday, October 29., DV.  Special thanks again to Sandra VanGeest (VanGeest Design House) for creating a new logo incorporating our new name and designing a new home page for the website incorporating all eleven member school logos.  Special thanks also to Bob Gerryts (SDCH staff member & my personal "IT guy") for willingly helping with the practical and technical matters related to the website update. In the meantime our fall 2008 newsletter issue is currently being printed and should be available for distribution by Wednesday, October 29.  It will again be distributed through our member schools and their supporting churches but will also be available online via our newsletter link.  We'd also be willing to mail you a copy directly.  Just ask! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Website revamp and update is currently being planned. With the growth in school membership and legal name change, we must now also update our website.  It would have been premature to have done this prior to the historic September 2 FNCS Board of Directors meeting at which the six Greater Hamilton area Christian schools were welcomed as full members and the proposed name change to Foundation for Niagara & Hamilton area Christian Schools was unanimously adopted.  As well, we cannot technically use the new name until the respective documents have been ratified by the appropriate federal authorities and new Letters Patent issued - but we have indeed begun planning for a transformation of our website.   The general layout will remain the same but changes to be made include: substituting the current Foundation name & logo with the new legal name and new logo adding the logos from each of our new member schools on the home page as well as on the Member School link (each of these logos will provide a direct link to the school websites) updating each of the information/product sheets appropriately updating the Board of Directors link adding an additional domain name and office email address to more accurately reflect the schools we serve and more! Please remember, if you are a member of or connected to one of the new member schools, the core information found on this website is still relevant for you.   For the interim, whenever you come across a listing of the founding member schools please visualize your school on this list as well.  Our goal is to have most if not all of these changes completed by Thanksgiving Day. For several months already the Foundation was anticipating a growth in membership.  On Tuesday, September 2, the FNCS Board of Directors held a special meeting to adopt By-Law #4 that welcomed six school socities from the greater Hamilton area as full members.  The Board of Directors also adopted a special resolution that requested a change to the Foundation's legal name to the Foundation for Niagara & Hamilton area Christian Schools (FNHCS). Additional information regarding this wonderful development will be unfolded in coming weeks.  By-Law #4 and the name change resolution still need to be ratified by the appropriate government authorities and until the new Letters Patent are received we must still officially operate as the Foundation for Niagara Christian Schools.  The societies that requested membership are: Brantford Christian School Calvin (Dundas) Christian School Calvin (Hamilton) Christian School Hamilton District Christian High Jarvis District Christian School Trinity Christian School, Burlington ----------------------------------------------------------------- The fall 2008 newsletter issue is currently being prepared. The spring 2008 newsletter issue was distributed in early April. Also available via the 'Newsletter' link.  Please call (905-957-8172) or email office@foundationniagara.ca to request a hard copy of this issue (or any previous issue) or to be added to our mailing list.  The member school Annual Fall Membership meetings are currently being planned and these dates are available by calling or emailing the schools.  Contact information can be found by visiting the school websites.  Links are provided via the logos on our home page. The Foundation participated at a Grandparent's Tea at Beacon Christian Schools on Thursday, December 13, 2007 at the elementary school site. The feature presentation focussed on Revocable Deposit Agreements - a unique short-term investment strategy to help you, your grandchildren and the schools.  The Power Point presentation shared is also available to those who wish to view it on their home computer.  Please call (905-957-8172) or email office@foundationniagara.ca to request a copy  New Website Launched - February 2007 In February 2007, FNCS went through the process of renewing the look of its webpage. The original webpage, though serving its purpose, had begun to show its age and it was time for a fresh look. Using the graphic design skills of Sandra VanGeest (VanGeest Design House) and the web page construction skills of Bob Gerryts, a new and better webpage was taken from inception to final release. The FNCS board is very grateful for their contribution of time and expertise.  The FNCS board is also grateful to Bob Gerryts and Jamie VanderWier through their company Trend for their continued willingness to donate web hosting services for FNCS.