Ottawa Women’s Canadian Club starts ‘long relationship’ with Algonquin
Posted on Thursday, May 18th, 2023
From left to right: Jennifer Lorimer, Mark Savenkoff, Carol MacKay
For the first time in more than a century, the Ottawa Women’s Canadian Club (OWCC) is creating a bursary in the name of the social club for a college student.
Algonquin is the lucky inaugural recipient of the club’s longstanding generosity.
Traditionally a donation has been gifted to a student enrolled in university.
Club President Carol MacKay and vice-president Jennifer Lorimer presented a $15,000 cheque recently to Mark Savenkoff, vice-president Advancement & Strategy at Algonquin.
The Ottawa Women’s Canadian Club Bursary will be awarded annually to a second, third, or fourth-year female student at Algonquin enrolled in any diploma or degree program at any campus and who demonstrates financial need.
MacKay has been advocating to support college students and feels strongly that women who choose college over university can too be leaders.
She is promising this year’s donation is not a one-off.
“It will be a long relationship. We’re so happy to be on board,” MacKay said during a recent visit to the Ottawa campus. “We all felt it was time that some of the other (post-secondary) schools were recognized. We thought it was time to expand and reach out. Not everyone goes to university.”
“There are so many more practicalities and life skills taught at Algonquin,” added Lorimer, a graduate of the College’s nursing school. “The goal is to help whoever it needs to help so that they can get the education that they want and help them in some small way.”
The club was formed in 1910 with a mission to foster an interest in all matters of public concern to strengthen Canadian unity and to preserve and promote the country’s heritage and history.
Over the past 113 years, it has been contributing to society through war efforts and a student scholarship program. The club believes higher education plays an important role in leading happy, successful lives and this serves as an impetus for maintaining scholarship programs for those in need.
Members, some who have been with OWCC for more than 40 and 50 years, have always understood that education gives young people the ability to control their lives by teaching skills required for employment.
The club believes a good education helps make the world a better place by exploring what is right, wrong, fair, and unfair.
“We hope we are helping to create better global citizens,” its mission statement reads.
Lorimer says of the club’s origin, it was a way for women “to come together and to do good, whatever that decade was, and whatever that good was.”
The club has evolved over the decades, branching out from a simple social gathering to offering members a chance at networking, fellowship, and to introduce them to people they may not know.
“It’s important, I think, for these women to have the club,” said Lorimer. “A lot of them are involved in their churches or some other community groups. The club provides an engaging and informative, relevant, speaker over lunch and that’s what keeps bringing people back.”
Over the life of the club, countless students have benefitted from members’ generosity.
“I think where our volunteerism, our philanthropy, lies is our ability to support women,” said Lorimer. “I knew when I was in school there was so many people, myself included, that needed financial aid and if there had been a bursary like this could have taken advantage of it to maybe pay for textbooks one year, or something like that, that would have been a big help. I worked part-time and was in nursing school. It was really tough. So, I’m hoping that we can give other people that leg up or that opportunity. It will just make the community better for everyone.”
The key for the club is in its name says MacKay.
“It’s really reflecting on Canadian values. The things that Canadians hold dear. Respecting one another, listening to one another, helping our neighbours and that is exactly what we are doing by giving these bursaries, is helping our neighbours and ultimately helping raise everybody up.”
Lorimer adds that, at its core, members are looking to get involved, meet other people and be part of a history of giving.
“The legacy is incredible,” she said. “There are a lot of organizations out there that host luncheons. But what makes ours different? It’s the members. Our ladies are amazing. I learn something from them all the time. The stories and their lives are so interesting. We try to celebrate these ladies because they’re worth it and they deserve it.”
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