The Haliburton Scout Reserve Staff Alumni Association is proud to continue its tradition of awarding a bursary each year to a member of the current staff who is beginning or continuing his or her post-secondary education when this summer ends. 24 bursaries have been awarded since 1998, and the winner of the 25th is Jacob Ursulak.
Jacob started at HSR as a camper in 2008, joining the staff in 2010. During that time, he has worked with Alumni member Ken Wrigglesworth to reinvigorate the Trapper’s Cabin program, won a purple bead and shared a Supervisor’s Award. Given the reaction in the Hub when his name was announced (a loud, sincere and heartfelt standing ovation), there is no doubt that many of his HSR friends could add something to this list of accomplishments.
This fall, he is attending the University of Waterloo to pursue a degree in Environmental Engineering, and the HSRSAA is very pleased to be able to make a contribution towards making that possible.
The 2011 recipient of the $700 HSR Staff Alumni Bursary is Robbin Wai, from Toronto.
Robbin joined Scouting as a Beaver at age 4, and first went to HSR with his Scout Troop as he was finishing Cubs. He returned to HSR every summer as a Scout. Robbin’s Venturer Company did not camp at HSR, but he was reconnected with the camp through a friend who was on staff. Robbin joined the HSR staff last summer as Trapper and this past summer was a Rifle Instructor.
Robbin wrote in his application something that is sure to resonate with Alumni members. He says, “I believe that it takes more than one summer to leave a lasting impression on camp; however, it takes less that for camp to leave a lasting impression on you.”
Robbin began his first year studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Windsor in September.
The Bursary is one of the most important activities of the Alumni Association, and is financially supported through fundraising events and donations. Current HSR staff members pursuing post-secondary education are eligible to apply for the award each year. Selection criteria include contributions to HSR and Scouting, as well as financial need. Please support the Bursary by participating in Alumni fundraising events or by making a donation. Contact Katrina Angel, Bursary Chair at bursary@hsrsa.ca for more information.
Once again this year, the Bursary Selection Committee faced a daunting task choosing a recipient of the bursary award. Since HSR attracts such exceptional people to its staff, this decision can be quite challenging. Finally after much discussion, three applicants were deemed equally worthy of this year’s award.
The amount of the 2010 award was $700, but a donation during the selection committee meeting of $50, increased the amount for each recipient to $250. After the award announcement during Alumni Weekend, two alumni members donated an additional $75 each to increase the total award for each recipient to $350. Thanks go to Casey Pitul (02) and Warner Clarke (66-70) for their donations.
The recipients of the 2010 HSR Staff Alumni Bursary Award, in alphabetical order, are Salvatore Alberti, Ian Hancock, and James Holloway.
L-R: Sal Alberti, James Holloway, Ian Hancock
Salvatore (Sal) was also a partial winner of last year’s bursary award. 2010 was Sal’s 5th year on staff, having worked as an SIT, Archery Range Master, Rappelling Instructor/Composite, Senior Rappelling Instructor, and this year as the SIT Coordinator and Senior Rappelling. Sal is in his 2nd year at the University of Toronto studying Industrial Engineering.
Ian has also previously been a bursary recipient, having received the award in 2007. Ian has been on staff for seven years, as a SIT, Trapper/Composite, Archery Instructor/Composite, Climbing Wall Instructor, and currently as Senior Climbing Wall Instructor. Ian is in his final year of studies at University of Toronto Scarborough doing a triple minor in Biology, Psychology and History. Ian plans to continue his education after graduating this spring, by pursuing a program in Paramedicine.
This summer was James’ 4th year working at HSR. James has held the positions of SIT, Admin Clerk and Assistant Office Manager. James began his first year of studies at Brock University this September, in Recreation & Leisure.
Congratulations to James, Ian, and Sal!
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We look forward to more exceptional applicants and next year’s award announcement at Alumni Weekend.
Donations to the Bursary are always needed and welcome. It is one of my goals as Bursary Chair to have sufficient funds available each year to enable us to select recipients based on quality, rather than be limited by quantity. That way in years like this when multiple excellent applications are submitted, each worthy applicant could receive the full financial award.
As a final note, thanks go to Geoff Vaughan (99-06) who recently made a donation to the bursary. Geoff received a Bursary Award in 2002.
This year there were two applicants for the bursary award. The selection committee found it extremely difficult to choose between the applications. For every point raised in favour of one, an equal point was made for the other. In the end, the selection committee decided that both applicants were equally deserving of the award.
Sal Alberti with his Bursary Certificate
The recipients of the 2009 HSR Staff Alumni Bursary are, in alphabetical order, Salvatore (Sal) Alberti and Andrea Howland. Sal and Andrea were each awarded half of the $700 Bursary award amount.
Sal first went to HSR as a Cub with Adventureland Goes North, and then continued on to camp as a Scout, before joining the staff in 2006. Sal has held the positions of SIT, Archery Instructor, Composite/Rappelling Instructor, and this year is a Rappelling Instructor.
Sal is a musician, specifically a violinist. (We were entertained by Sal at Alumni Weekend’s Hub & Cub Pub/Open Mic event – on guitar and on violin.) However, Sal has chosen to expand his boundaries beyond music, and began the Engineering program at the University of Toronto this September.
Andrea Howland with her Bursary Certificate
Andrea joined Scouts at 11 years of age, and has been going to HSR since. In 2005, she was an SIT, moving on to positions of Composite/Kitchen, Composite/Rappelling Instructor, Low Ropes Girl, IT Coordinator/Rappelling Instructor.
Andrea has taken the teachings and influence of Scouting to heart and will be continuing with them in her education. She began Social Justice and Peace Studies a King’s University College at the University of Western Ontario this September. Andrea graduated from high school last year, but took this past year to work to earn money to be able to afford to go away to school to Western to take this particular program – a unique program in Ontario.
The 2008 Alumni Bursary of $700 was awarded to Anne Leon at Alumni Weekend. Like most HSR staff, Anne first came to HSR as a camper. She applied to work on staff the next summer. Anne has been on staff since 2005, first as an SIT, and as a waterfront instructor since.
Bursary Chair Katrina Angel present the award certificate to Anne Leon
Anne began Scouts at four years of age in Beavers, staying involved all the way to being president of her Venturer Company, as well as Deputy Area Commissioner-Youth.
Anne graduated from high school this past June and is now attending the University of Guelph studying Environmental Management. Anne connects her personal and career interest in the environment to her involvement in Scouting and her time at HSR.
Anne submitted a very strong application package for the Bursary, with multiple glowing references. Having worked various jobs through high school to save for university, the bursary will allow Anne to work a bit less to focus on school.
During Alumni Weekend, Ian Hancock was awarded the 2007 HSR Staff Alumni Bursary, of $700. Ian first came to HSR as an Adventureland North camper, then graduated to a composite camper. He joined the staff as a SIT in 2004, has since held the positions of Trapper/Composite, Archery/composite, and this year is a Climbing Wall Instructor. (Ian returned in 2008 as Climbing Wall Instructor.)
Bursary Chair Katrina Angel presents the award certificate to Ian Hancock
Ian has been a member of Scouting since the age of 5, beginning in Beavers. When Ian moved up to Venturers, he looked for something different than a traditional Venturer Company, and joined a MedVent (Medical Venturers) Company. His experiences with the MedVent Company lead to an interest in paramedicine as an educational and career path. Ian has completed his first-year of Paramedicine, a joint program offered by University of Toronto and Centennial College. In addition to standard tuition fees and costs associated with post-secondary education, Ian is required to purchase equipment related to paramedicine such as a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, etc., which the bursary award will help with.
The Alumni awarded its 15th Staff Bursary at the 2006 Alumni Weekend. Dean Janowski (2002-2008) from Kitchener, was the recipient of the $700 award.
Dean Janowski receives his bursary certificate from Bursary Chair Katrina Angel
Like most staff, Dean was introduced to HSR as a camper. Dean has been on staff for five years beginning in 2003 as a Staff-In-Training, moving on the (barely) paid staff position of Composite/ Climbing Wall instructor in 2003, to Maintenance from 2004 to 2006.
Dean studied Psychology at university last school year, but found even though he achieved high grades that it was the not the path for him. He applied for Pre-Service Firefighter Education and Training, and was one of 42 offered admission to Contestoga College’s program, out of 600 applicants. Programs such as Firefighter Education have higher than average tuition, at approximately $5,400 per year. In his application, Dean stated, “I finally know what I want to pursue, now it is only a matter of gaining knowledge for my field of study. The aid of this bursary will help grant me extra time to fulfil my commitments in schooling without constantly working outside of school hours to help pay for my schooling.”
HSR Staff Alumni Association 