Message from our CEO
This time of transition also sees many of our board activities come to a close for the year. I’d like to thank our board members for sharing their time, talents, treasures and ties. Your unique contributions have helped shape the Saskatchewan Community Foundation and made us stronger. I’d especially like to highlight three outgoing board members as we bid farewell to Bula Ghosh, Teresa Drew, and Deb Rush. Thank you for your wisdom, dedication, and passion for the charitable sector.
And from good-byes to hellos, this summer we’ll be welcoming new committee members as we expand our network of Community Foundation contributors. We have also had the pleasure of saying welcome (or perhaps I should say “Good Morning” 😉) to our summer student team.
You’ll be seeing lots of them in June, July and August in various communities, at farmers' markets, and local events including the recent Good Morning Day activities. We’re so happy to have your energy and positivity.
And lastly, we’re very excited to share our annual Impact Report. It’s one of our most valued publications as it covers what the Community Foundation accomplished in this last year thanks to the hard work, dedication, and kindness of our SaskCF family.
Have a great June full of Pride celebrations, new learnings for Indigenous History Month, and sunny days as summer “officially” begins.
Leave a Legacy... any month!
May was Leave a Legacy Month, which encourages people to include charitable giving in their estate planning. So why mention it in June? Because anytime could be the right time to think about what legacy you want to leave for your community. What causes, charities, or communities would you like to support through in your Will? Learn more here!
Our 2025-2026 Annual Impact Report is now out!
This 28-page booklet looks at the facts, figures, and people behind our growing Community Foundation.
June Events
- June - National Indigenous History Month & Pride – All month long!
- June 11 - The Heart of Moose Jaw Community Impact Celebration
- June 11 - Inclusion Saskatchewan Luncheon
- June 15 - Regina Chamber Golf Tournament. Come see our SaskCF table!
Plus Community Foundation information booths at:
- June 17&18 - CPA Prairie Connection Conference
- June 20 - Lafleche Street Fair
- June 28 - Rhubarb Festival at Over the Hill Orchards in Lumsden
The Good Morning Project Celebrates its Second Year!
On June 3rd, you may have spotted yellow balloons, t-shirts, and cupcakes all around Regina.
It’s all to mark Good Morning Day. The annual event is part of the Good Morning Project which celebrates community pride by spreading kindness and connection across Regina. The idea is that small, sincere gestures like saying “good morning” can go a long way.
This year, our summer student team hit the streets on June 3rd and gave out:
- sandwiches to firefighters courtesy of Italian Star Deli
- free coffee from Tim Hortons and gift cards from DQ, Victoria’s Tavern, and Western Pizza to people at the Regina Farmers Market
- cold drinks to construction workers
- plus cupcakes and balloons to seniors, daycares, and elementary schools.
Although the day is over, the project lives on. There will be more random acts of kindness throughout the summer, so keep your eyes open for friendly faces in Good Morning Project yellow shirts. (Photos: Barbershop Films)
Charities and Supporters Will Come Together in Moose Jaw
A free community charity tradeshow bringing together charities, donors, community members, and changemakers is coming to Moose Jaw.
The Heart of Moose Jaw is an opportunity to connect with local organizations, hear inspiring stories of community impact, enjoy refreshments and local food, and celebrate the incredible work happening throughout our communities.
Whether you are looking to learn more about local charities, build meaningful connections, or simply spend an afternoon engaging with your community, we would love to see you there!
- June 11, 2026
- 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
-
Wakamow Valley Sportsman’s Centre
276 Home St E, Moose Jaw, SK
If you have any questions, please reach out to Megyn at megyn.verbeek@saskfoundation.ca or call 1 (306) 400-6715.
Story Corner
This part of the newsletter is where we will highlight and celebrate new and existing funds at the Saskatchewan Community Foundation. We have more than 40 donor stories you can read today.
New Fund Story
New Family Legacy Fund
We truly have a “new” fund story to share.
The New Family Legacy Fund was recently started by Katelyn New and her family, but the inspiration started long ago. It came from Katelyn’s grandmother.
“Throughout my Grandma Marian’s life, she was subtly (and often not) pushing her family to care for more than just their own inner circle,” Katelyn writes. “There are many instances of humble compassion I can remember growing up in our family, rippling well beyond my grandma.”
The living room at Marian’s house had many framed pictures of her sponsor children beside pictures of her own grandkids, and she was always sharing letters and updates when they came to visit.
They were often short a seat at family gatherings because Marian was busy creating small dolls for children overseas and lined them up neatly on her green velure armchair. “She made just shy of one thousand in her lifetime (she kept a tally),” shares Katelyn. “This chair full of colourful dolls, showed that using your skills for the greater good is so incredibly valuable.”
Katelyn’s grandma would also gather the cousins for a very important meeting every Thanksgiving. She would give them a budget and the catalogue for an international children’s foundation. They had to decide amongst themselves how to allocate it. It’s a tradition that Katelyn plans to bring back with her own young family. “Our fund will evolve with our family and will be directed to charities through a joyful kitchen table conversation each year.”
You can read more about the New Family Legacy Fund here: https://saskfoundation.ca/funds/new-family-legacy-fund/. If you are curious about the other funds at the Community Foundation and their stories please visit our Fund Appreciation Wall. If you want to start your own new fund, contact Jenna at [email protected].
Legacy Impact Story
Wilson Scholarship Funds
Larry Wilson is a great example of how you can honour your legacy through charitable giving and your loved ones.
Wilson was a successful publisher, and having no children of his own, decided to make several very generous contributions to his community. After acquiring the Capitol Theatre in Moose Jaw, a venue where he and his siblings had performed many times, he donated it to the city and after a multi-million–dollar restoration, it was renamed the Mae Wilson Theatre – a tribute to his late mother.
His generosity was centered around the love he had for his mother and the passion for dance and performing that she had instilled in her family. He also left the majority of his estate to the Community Foundation to establish seven scholarship funds, five of them being named after his siblings.
The scholarships help talented, young Moose Jaw based residents fulfill their potential by providing financial support towards their studies in an arts program after high school. They are:
- Lawrence Wilson Scholarship for Drama
- Dorothy Wilson Scholarship for Traditional Dance [may include national (i.e., Scottish, Ukranian), variety (i.e., acrobatic, baton, clogging), Broadway, and tap dance]
- Gerald B. Wilson Scholarship for Musical Theatre [live voice and dance]
- Kathleen Wilson Scholarship for Instrumentalists
- Sylvia Wilson Scholarship for Vocalists
- Marlene Wilson Scholarship for Contemporary Dance [may include ballet, jazz]
- Lawrence Wilson Literary Scholarship [may include writing, journalism, screen writing]
The deadline for the Wilson Scholarships is June 30, 2026. You can read more about the scholarship and the application process here: https://www.artsinmotion.ca/larry-wilson-scholarships/
Free Training Opportunity from Thriving Non-Profits
The Thriving Non-Profits cohort is 4-month program that helps non-profit teams diversify revenue, build financial resilience, and think boldly about what’s possible. With expert coaching, peer learning, and tools you can use right away, this is your chance to break free from the cycle of scarcity.
“If you have an opportunity to take this training, jump in with both feet! You will emerge with a new appreciation for how you plan the next phases and how you build capacity to be outcome-focused and financially sustainable (without always being on the grant train!).”
– Colleen Christopherson-Cote, Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Partnership
Thanks to support from the Saskatchewan Community Foundation, Community Initiatives Fund of Saskatchewan, and Saskatoon Community Foundation, bursaries are available for organizations facing financial barriers to participation.
✅ Learn more and apply: https://www.thrivingnonprofits.ca/pages/cohorts