Dear Editor,

I had a conversation the other day with Emile Morin, a Columbia Valley Community Foundation director. Emile is currently a resident of Calgary but lived in Canal Flats for 12 years.

The subject of our conversation was the Arnold Ellis Scholarship Fund, which both local papers ran a story on recently.

I have been working in connection with public schools since 1985, and I have seen many young people, full of promise, cross the graduation stage. I have very much admired, in all the communities I have worked, the generousity of friends, families, businesses and organizations that seem to go out of their way to ensure that our youth pursuing further opportunity have the help they need to get started. The students in the Columbia Valley have traditionally had access to over $50,000 of assistance because of this generosity.

Now, because of the expanded endowment fund created from Mr. Ellis’ estate, the opportunities for assistance for local youth to pursue higher education will be greatly enhanced. Mr. Ellis leaves an incredible legacy to our communities and on behalf of the Board of Education and Staff of School District No. 6, we wish to express our gratitude for this and also to the Community Foundation for its work in administering the fund. This is great news for the students and families of the valley.

Paul Carriere

Superintendent, School District No. 6 (Rocky Mountain)