Help to establish the Neil Vanderkruk Innovation and Scholarship Fund eblast

I have always used the lens of “family” when discussing Landscape Ontario. We are a family/community for mutual benefit and improvement.

Families honour and recognize the legacy of their pioneers. One way we do this is to create a named scholarship fund within the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation. We already have a number of these funds: Casey van Maris, Val Kirshener. Dunington-Grubb, Horst Dickert, John and Ruth Wright, John T. Somerville, Peter Olsen, Otto.J. Muller, Perry Molema, John Hensbergen and Tony DeGroot. All have named scholarship funds within the Foundation.

This year, we have created a new fund to recognize the memory, contributions and spirit of Neil Vanderkruk. Our goal is to raise $100,000 and to spend the interest on a permanent scholarship in Neil’s name.

I met Neil way back in 1987 while working as the coordinator of the Landscape Program at Humber College and volunteering on the LO promotion committee. The meetings were held in Neil’s office. In September 1989, Neil called me up to see if I was interested in taking on the Executive Director position. It was a call that changed my life direction.

I know that many of you have wonderful memories of Neil’s contributions to the profession and association. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to the Neil Vanderkruk Innovation and Scholarship Fund.

Visit the Foundation website to donate now and to learn more about the scholarship and Neil’s immense contributions to our profession.

Thank you,
Tony DiGiovanni
LO Executive Director