Philanthropy

I learned the value of charitable giving from my parents, who gave their time when they had few dollars to spare. My mother was active in the Sir James Douglas School Parent Teacher Association while we were students. She also volunteered at St. John’s Church, participating in the junior choir and the Girls Auxiliary. My mother was also an area leader in the campaign to collect funds for polio research, and I went door-to-door with an adult to collect donations. My father volunteered as a driver for a person with a disability who lived at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital. They spent many hours enjoying music together. Both parents were involved in our extracurricular activities and held fundraisers to raise money for whatever was needed.

Helen Edwards

Philanthropist

Rated 5 out of 5

I became a volunteer during elementary school and dedicated as much time as possible to various activities. Thus, the seeds were sown for my philanthropy later in life.

In high school, I volunteered for various clubs and assisted in the school library. I continued to work for free for various organizations after leaving school and starting my professional life. Finally, I had a few dollars to donate and carefully chose where the funds would go. After my marriage, my husband and I volunteered our time to heritage organizations, which I still do almost 60 years later. I have served on numerous charity boards, making a positive impact in my community.

When my children were in school, I was active in parent activities and helped raise funds for a playground and computer equipment. I also worked in the school library and helped in the classroom when needed. I was a driver for after-school sports and music, and enjoyed this very much.

I became aware of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice before they even had a facility, and I continue to support them to this day. In 2020, I inherited funds that would enable me to donate to charities more consistently. I decided to select a few charities and make gifts that would make a difference. My family established a family foundation to enable us to make charitable gifts while also saving on taxes.

I support the National Trust for Canada through the John Edwards Conference Bursary. We used to travel to conferences and were aware of the expense. I couldn’t think of a better way to keep my husband’s name alive than to help volunteers. The bursaries are given to volunteers with heritage organizations to enable them to attend a conference and become part of an ongoing network. It is most gratifying to meet the bursary recipients and hear about the impact the money has had on their attendance.

My other charities have connections to children and/or health. I support the efforts of BC Cancer, the Victoria Hospitals Foundation, C-FAX Santa’s Anonymous, the Times Colonist Christmas Fund, Cool Aid, World Vision, the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Association, the Victoria HarbourCats Foundation, and the Victoria High School Alumni Association. Other organizations receive smaller gifts for special projects.

To be honest, I get far more out of volunteering and donating funds than I do from the value of the gifts. I derive immense satisfaction from knowing that I am making a difference in the world and that my gifts help individuals lead better lives. I urge everyone to give what you can – time or money – as every gift is important.