The Mary and Vern Fowke Fund
A lasting Legacy that will continue to impact those they'll never meet.
Vern Fowke, and the late Mary Fowke, spent a lifetime of service in making our community kinder and better. Married in 1952, they individually, and together in the formation of the Mary and Vern Fowke Fund, gave so much of their time, talent and treasures as they lived and worked in Assiniboia, Moose Jaw, Weyburn and Regina. And they did this all while raising an active family of 3 (2 daughters and a son) and Vern taking on senior and demanding roles in his career. As Vern says, for them it isn’t enough to just attend community events or donate to be contributing members, you have to invest your time between the events you attend.
Born in Rosetown, Saskatchewan, Mary was a long-time member of Sunset United Church in Regina, and served as a youth group leader in the church as well as Guardian of Bethel #14 Job’s Daughters. Mary was a member and Past Worthy Matron of Prairie Rose Chapter #74 of the Order of the Eastern Star at Weyburn. She served the Red Cross in many ways and was Saskatchewan President from 1989 to 1991 and a National Board Member. She was a member of the MacKenzie Art Gallery Volunteers, serving as President in 1986 to 1988 and as a docent since 1978 until her passing in 2005. She was a founding member of the Prairie Piecemakers Quilters’ Guild and was noted by that group as being instrumental in its development.
Vern Fowke, and the late Mary Fowke, spent a lifetime of service in making our community kinder and better. Married in 1952, they individually, and together in the formation of the Mary and Vern Fowke Fund, gave so much of their time, talent and treasures as they lived and worked in Assiniboia, Moose Jaw, Weyburn and Regina. And they did this all while raising an active family of 3 (2 daughters and a son) and Vern taking on senior and demanding roles in his career. As Vern says, for them it isn’t enough to just attend community events or donate to be contributing members, you have to invest your time between the events you attend.
Born in Rosetown, Saskatchewan, Mary was a long-time member of Sunset United Church in Regina, and served as a youth group leader in the church as well as Guardian of Bethel #14 Job’s Daughters. Mary was a member and Past Worthy Matron of Prairie Rose Chapter #74 of the Order of the Eastern Star at Weyburn. She served the Red Cross in many ways and was Saskatchewan President from 1989 to 1991 and a National Board Member. She was a member of the MacKenzie Art Gallery Volunteers, serving as President in 1986 to 1988 and as a docent since 1978 until her passing in 2005. She was a founding member of the Prairie Piecemakers Quilters’ Guild and was noted by that group as being instrumental in its development.
In 1988, Mary was interviewed by the Regina Leader-Post about her at-the-time 20 years of service at the Canadian Red Cross, where she started as a blood donor. When interviewed, she was the Vice-President of the Canadian Red Cross Society, Saskatchewan Division. She said this about blood donors in general, which is a reflection of her own service: “Blood donors are a different kind of person. You can even draw a profile of them: generous, cooperative, and interested in humanity. They are sharing people. They give their own life’s blood for someone they don’t know and will never know.”
Just 5 short years later, in the summer of 1993, Mary was demonstrating again that she fit her description of a blood donor to a tee. She flew to St. Louis, Missouri with the Canadian Red Cross to volunteer for 3 weeks to help those afflicted by spring floods, after seeing reports of the devastation. She said simply at the time “I did it because I saw a need and I had the ability to meet that need”. At the time, she credited having the support of Vern and her 3 grown children, and her 88-year-old mother who would have gone with her if she could have. Working for 12- and 14-hour days, she was in the front line of service, interviewing flood victims regarding their needs and assisting them in getting the help they needed. Seeing what people dealt with, and their courage, strength and optimism, reinforced her belief in service and helping others, as she said “it makes you realize that (material) things aren’t that important”.
Born near Drinkwater, Saskatchewan, Vern also has devoted much of his life to his community. Having a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a Chartered Accountant designation, and a desire to help others, meant that he was always in demand to volunteer his expertise with numbers on boards and committees. What made his contributions even more valuable was his natural leadership abilities. In his career, he served in senior leadership positions at SaskWater and SaskPower. In his volunteer service, he held similarly demanding and influential positions. He was a United Way volunteer for many years and served as its Campaign Chair. He was a Rotary Club Member for more than 58 years and served as its Regina President. He served as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Saskatchewan. He was a member of the Regina Chamber of Commerce. And, like Mary, he was an active volunteer with the Sunset United Church.
In 2019 the United Way of Regina honoured Vern with the Red Feather Loyalty Award, which is presented to a donor who has a long history in our community through United Way Regina. The United Way said that “His generosity spans decades of commitment towards local programs that help bring forth change to help enhance the lives of those living within our city.”
Blood donors are a different kind of person. You can even draw a profile of them: generous, cooperative, and interested in humanity. They are sharing people. They give their own life’s blood for someone they don’t know and will never know.
Born near Drinkwater, Saskatchewan, Vern also has devoted much of his life to his community. Having a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a Chartered Accountant designation, and a desire to help others, meant that he was always in demand to volunteer his expertise with numbers on boards and committees. What made his contributions even more valuable was his natural leadership abilities. In his career, he served in senior leadership positions at SaskWater and SaskPower. In his volunteer service, he held similarly demanding and influential positions. He was a United Way volunteer for many years and served as its Campaign Chair. He was a Rotary Club Member for more than 58 years and served as its Regina President. He served as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Saskatchewan. He was a member of the Regina Chamber of Commerce. And, like Mary, he was an active volunteer with the Sunset United Church.
In 2019 the United Way of Regina honoured Vern with the Red Feather Loyalty Award, which is presented to a donor who has a long history in our community through United Way Regina. The United Way said that “His generosity spans decades of commitment towards local programs that help bring forth change to help enhance the lives of those living within our city.”
At the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, we have been a direct benefactor of Vern’s expertise and guidance, as he served on our Board from 1990 to 2001, and was even Chair for 2 years. He was kind enough even after his Board membership to continue his service on the Advisory Board from 2003 to 2018. In the 2018 Foundation Annual Report, Vern says that the Foundation “has given me a sense that I have done something for the community, that I put something back. To me that is very important.”
Vern’s dream for the Foundation is that the Foundation grows and serves Saskatchewan in the widest possible way. His own personal ambitions are humble, as he says simply “I hope I did some good.”
At the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, we have been a direct benefactor of Vern’s expertise and guidance, as he served on our Board from 1990 to 2001, and was even Chair for 2 years. He was kind enough even after his Board membership to continue his service on the Advisory Board from 2003 to 2018. In the 2018 Foundation Annual Report, Vern says that the Foundation “has given me a sense that I have done something for the community, that I put something back. To me that is very important.”
Vern’s dream for the Foundation is that the Foundation grows and serves Saskatchewan in the widest possible way. His own personal ambitions are humble, as he says simply “I hope I did some good.”
Very shortly after serving on the Board, in 1994, Vern and Mary began contributing to the Foundation in their name. In 2001 they formalized that arrangement into a Legacy Fund called the Mary and Vern Fowke Fund, just at the end of Vern’s service on the Board. By doing so, Mary and Vern ensured that the Community Foundation, which is the designated recipient of grants from the Fund, can continue their commitment to their community for generations in the future, as a testament to the Fowkes’ personal financial and service contributions. Just as Mary asserted when she talked of the importance of blood donations, she is still helping people that she does not know and will never know. And Vern is continuing to contribute in ways that are putting back far more than he is taking out.
Very shortly after serving on the Board, in 1994, Vern and Mary began contributing to the Foundation in their name. In 2001 they formalized that arrangement into a Legacy Fund called the Mary and Vern Fowke Fund, just at the end of Vern’s service on the Board. By doing so, Mary and Vern ensured that the Community Foundation, which is the designated recipient of grants from the Fund, can continue their commitment to their community for generations in the future, as a testament to the Fowkes’ personal financial and service contributions. Just as Mary asserted when she talked of the importance of blood donations, she is still helping people that she does not know and will never know. And Vern is continuing to contribute in ways that are putting back far more than he is taking out.
The Fund was started for very practical reasons and shows the depth of support that the Fowkes devoted to causes in which they were active. Vern relates how at the time that the Foundation was in its early days of growth, it faced some difficult challenges: if people knew about them, they could grow and impact the community as other larger Community Foundations that started years before the Foundation already were. But, in order for people to know about the Foundation, they had to grow so that they had more available money that they could leverage to promote the Foundation and support the administrative costs that was a byproduct of growth.
The Fund was started for very practical reasons and shows the depth of support that the Fowkes devoted to causes in which they were active. Vern relates how at the time that the Foundation was in its early days of growth, it faced some difficult challenges: if people knew about them, they could grow and impact the community as other larger Community Foundations that started years before the Foundation already were. But, in order for people to know about the Foundation, they had to grow so that they had more available money that they could leverage to promote the Foundation and support the administrative costs that was a byproduct of growth.
I would like to see a kinder, better community. One where we do better at looking after the homeless, the hungry and abused person.
Mary and Vern chatted about this dilemma. They were already supporting other established charities – how could they support the larger vision of the Community
Foundation that they believed in? By supporting Foundation operations, they felt they could give the Foundation some support in growth. Maybe the Fund would be applied to a telephone bill, helping to hire someone to support the Board’s efforts or to tell others about the Foundation. Just some practical, tangible outcomes that would help the Foundation grow better, and faster. As Vern says, “there are a million ways to get the news out there, but you need the funds to do so”.
Vern wonders if they called the Fund the right name. Will people who don’t know “Mary and Vern” understand the reason why they felt it was important to start the Fund, and what it is meant to do? Will people understand their deep commitment to community and be encouraged to support community in the same way?
While the Fund could have had many names, as Vern suggests, if you get to know Vern and Mary through this story, there is not a more perfect name for the Fund.