First Students Receive Gordon Wiebe Education Fund Scholarships

Nearly a dozen students will be attending post-secondary school this fall, thanks in part to the vision of former Winkler Pharmacist Gordon Wiebe.

Wiebe's $2.2 million bequest through the Winkler Community Foundation created the Gordon Wiebe Education Fund.

The first eleven Ongoing Educational Support Scholarship recipients were recently named. The scholarship is valued at $2,000 and can be renewed up to two years during the student's first program of study.

Recipients of the scholarship were Alina Fischer, Cameron Wiens, Hailey Penner, Janelle Ewert, Jayna Janzen, Jen Derksen, Jessica Froese, Katrina Epp, Noah Olfert, Steph Derksen, and Tegan Penner.

Post-secondary education can often be overwhelming with tuition costs and living expenses, recipient Noah Olfert says, adding the financial support of the scholarship helps take off some of the pressure. 

"There's so much stress when you are a student," Olfert says. "The things you have to think about... Just to have this scholarship calms you down knowing that financial stress is alleviated."

Katrina Epp will be studying Library Sciences at Red River College and says the scholarship helps pay for a full semester, leaving money from working her summer job to be used towards living expenses.

Criteria for being eligible for the award was a student, 30 years or younger, pursuing post-secondary education in Canada, and a commitment to the community.

Epp has been an active volunteer in the community, participating in literacy and sports programs, grounds maintenance, retail and acting since 2007. She's also been involved with dozens of organizations including Flatlands Theatre Company, South Central Library, Mennonite Central Committee, Camps with Meaning, among much more.

Since 2012 Olfert has been a volunteer with youth programming, contributing to Navigate, Northlands Parkway Collegiate(NPC) Student Council, and Winkler Minor ball. He adds missions trips taught him that volunteering is important because it's about meeting the needs of the community.

WCF board member Corey Hildebrand says though he never knew Gordon, he believes Gordon’s generosity and belief in post-secondary education inspired him to leave the financial gift.

"I think he had a spirit of generosity, and it seems to me he cared about post-secondary education. Along with his commitment to the community of Winkler, it all fit together for him, so scholarships for the betterment of young people was his vision."

In total, $77,000 will be made available for scholarships, with interest from the endowment fund to be dispersed in three streams: Garden Valley Collegiate and NPC scholarship applications, mature student scholarship through WCF, and the Gordon Wiebe Make It A Reality Fund.

Grade 12 Garden Valley Collegiate student Bailey Neufeld is the first recipient of the $20,000 Make it a Reality Scholarship.