I first met Henk at his Edmonton home in 2013. I learned of his story of coming to Canada at the tender age 19, with no family or friends here, just the promise of opportunity. He found his way in the retail business as a florist, expanding to several stores.
He told me that he got involved with Rotary when they held a meeting in the plaza across from his store and invited him to join. He was proud of his perfect attendance record for over forty-seven years and became a donor supporting Operation Eyesight, often a partner charity with Rotary, as well as personally funding a breakfast program for children near his winter home in Mexico.
Henk told me that Rotary was his family, and his club was especially important to him. Before he passed in 2013, he donated to the Rotary Foundation Canada to establish two endowments in his name, one supporting our work to provide Basic Education and Literacy, and one supporting SHARE-which provides funding to all seven of Rotary's areas of focus, enabling our member's global and district grant projects.
Henk's legacy continues, allowing today's members to ensure that opportunities for employment, improved health, peace, better education, fresh water and sanitation, and conservation of our environment are possible; his way of looking after his Rotary family for generations to follow.
Written by RI staff-Senior Major Gift Officer, Carolyn Ferguson.