Over the past 5 years, the Winkler Community Foundation (WCF) has awarded 170 scholarships totaling $380,000 to help support local young people.

The scholarships are thanks to a generous gift left to the foundation by the late Gorden Wiebe.

Through these scholarships, the foundation has been able to support the recipients in their pursuit to gain knowledge and follow their educational paths through post secondary institutions across Canada.

In addition to providing financial support, these awards have provided opportunities for some that otherwise may not have pursued post-secondary education, as well as, offered esteem support for others.

The Winkler Community Foundation says it measures success by observing recipients taking the courageous step in being the first of their family to pursue post secondary education.

In a news release, the foundation noted, "success comes with the changing of career paths because financial assistance has afforded the opportunity to do so. And most certainly, we celebrate success in the achievement of degree earned, often seeing the recipient return to Winkler to use their skills in our community. And celebrating with those who choose to re-locate!"

"Another success is having one of our first Ongoing Education Support recipients join our Scholarship committee this year. Cameron Wiens graduated with his Business Administration degree at Brandon University in 2020. Cameron is working for BDO as he continues his studies to his CPA designation. He looks forward to giving back to the community and the scholarship program that supported his studies."

This year, the Winkler Community Foundation has honoured the accomplishments of 30 local students receiving a total of $70,000 in Gordon Wiebe Scholarships.

Recipients have served the local community as well as abroad. These students are studying a broad array of subjects that will impact the future of our community and beyond.

2021 Scholarship Recipients:

(1) Ongoing Education Support (OES) Awards. ($2000 award that is renewable for up to 2
years.) The 2021 OES have been awarded to the following 24 students:

Mark Giesbrecht (Political Science), Caitlyn Haney (Kinesiology), Amy Peters (Integrated
Education), Sherry Peters (Science/Psychology), Talia Peters (Kinesiology), Julia Tissen
(Education), Aaron Doerksen (Biology), Lani Ens (Arts), Jacob Fehr (Nursing), Quinn Hamilton
(Education), Allyson Klassen (Psychology), Kayla Penner (Nursing), Patricia Derksen (Biosystem
Engineer), Tyrone Dyck (Theology), Peter Enns (agriculture) Madison Fehr (Music), Jessica
Giesbrecht (Political Science), Amy Lloyd (Science), Yeketrina Kuryata (Sociology), Nettie Dyck
(Psychology), Saad Nizamani (Physiology), Indigo Wiebe (Kinesiology), Katelyn Ens (Agriculture),
and Ryan Rempel (Nursing).

(2) Make it a Reality Awards – ($20,000 over four years.) Currently supporting 2 Make It a
Reality recipients:

Mikaela Warkentin (2020 - Environmental Design) and Victoria Maschkin (2021-University 1).
(3) Gordon Wiebe GVSD Awards – ($2,000 award disbursed at High School graduation.)
This year 12 students received this award:
Amber Reimer (GVC), Cassidy Penner (NPC), Cerlean Wolfe (NPC), Danae Wiebe (GVC), Emily
Penner (NPC), Jakiya Friesen (GVC), Kate Heide (GVC), Laura Marx (GVC), Maksym Saltykov
(NPC), Mia O’Neil (NPC), Rachel Klassen (GVC), and Ruben Martel (NPC).