OTAEF News Highlights From 2010

Upon obtaining his Bachelor of Commerce degree, David hopes to attend graduate school at either the University of Toronto or the University of Western Ontario to obtain his Master’s degree in Business. After working in the finance industry for a few years, David then hopes to open his own firm that will concentrate on mortgages. However, David also has some personal aspirations to travel after earning his degree, and includes Thailand and Europe in his list of preferred destinations.

“This continues to be a great opportunity to pay tribute to the professional drivers who are often the unsung heroes of Ontario’s roadways – those who keep the flow of goods and our economy flowing”, says David Bradley, president of the Ontario Trucking Association. “We are extremely pleased to be able to provide some financial assistance to the son of a driver who sustained an on-the-job life-altering injury through no fault of his own”.

David’s father, David Lafferty Sr., broke a vertebra in his spine in 1999 after the load in a shipper-loaded container that he was pulling shifted en-route, and caused the tractor-trailer to roll and then catch fire. Two Samaritans pulled David from the burring cab. As a result of paraplegia he suffered from the incident, he is confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

The OTA Professional Driver Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a university or college student who is the son or daughter of a professional truck driver who has been killed or seriously injured while driving a commercial vehicle on the job. It is funded by an endowed fund established by OTA and administered by the OTA Education Foundation, Inc.

Bert Clay is the VP of Sales and Marketing of Durabody Industries Limited, a specialty truck body and trailer manufacturer located in Bond Head, Ontario. Clay’s experience in the trucking industry is extensive, including 14 years with Trailmobile Trailers, and an additional five years between Teledyne Specialty Equipment and King Equipment Manufacturing. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario and Ohio University, he is currently a member of the OTA Allied Trades Division.

“I’m really looking forward to working with my fellow board members to increase visibility and recognition of the Foundation within the trucking industry”, said Clay following his election. “It would be wonderful to see the number of scholarships that the Foundation can hand out significantly increase over the next few years”.

“Bert is a very positive person who is always willing to contribute his time to industry causes”, said fellow board and OTA Allied Trade member Gordon Box. “He believes in and recognizes the importance of education, and I think that he will be a positive addition to our board”.

James Steed is currently president of Steed Standard Transport, a 4th generation integrated transportation and warehousing company located in Stratford, Ontario that was founded by James’ great grandfather in 1913. A graduate of Sheridan College’s Transportation and Logistics program, James took over the reins of the family business in 2001. He currently sits as a director on the board for the Ontario Trucking Association, and is also a member of OTA’s Membership Development Committee.

A strong supporter of the OTA Education Foundation for several years, James welcomes the opportunity to influence the direction of the scholarship granting charity. “The Education Foundation helped me when I was in college”, says Steed. “I look at this as a great opportunity to bring some fresh ideas so that the Foundation can continue to help college and university students”.

“Kevin submitted an outstanding application that clearly demonstrates his commitment to volunteerism and self-improvement” says Selection Committee member Barrie Montague and former vice-president of the Ontario Trucking Association. “He has given over 1,500 hours volunteering by instructing and mentoring young people in a youth program that promotes leadership and citizenship. And, he accomplished this outside of school hours – during evenings, weekends and holidays”.

Kevin joined Cadets Canada at the age of 12, where he believes he was offered a “world of opportunities”. He also attained Honour Roll status in each of his four years at high school, and is a recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Community Volunteer Award for Students as well as the Don Valley West Member of Parliament’s Award for Citizenship and Community Engagement.

“My parents are willing to sacrifice everything for my education”, wrote He in a letter thanking the Foundation for his scholarship. “Between loans, scholarships, part-time, and co-op employment, I hope to finance at least three-quarters of my degree myself”. He also extended his appreciation to “the OTA Education Foundation, the Scholarship Selection Committee, and the donors” that made this award possible.

The J. O. Goodman Scholarship Award winner is selected each year from all qualifying scholarship applications from students who are entering their first year post-secondary studies at a recognized university.

Rebecca was chosen as the outstanding first-year college applicant by the OTA Education Foundation’s Selection Committee. C.V. Hoar applicants are assessed on their secondary school academic achievement, service to community and volunteer work, extra-curricular activities, as well as an essay that answers a specific question about the trucking industry.

Rebecca was an active member of her school’s S.H.A.R.E./Go Green Committee, which, with only 10 student members, managed to raise over $18,000 to send to less fortunate children in other countries. The money was used for food, fresh water, education and health care. She helped to organize youth baseball in her community for three years, and worked as a peer teacher in a grade 9 class.

“Rebecca has been a definite asset to this class and she has contributed to the success of her students” noted Chatal Desbiens, a Manitoulin Secondary School teacher in a supporting letter for Rebecca. Ultimately, Rebecca would like to attend Teacher’s College so that she can be a special needs teacher. She hopes to be able to make a difference in the lives of many special needs children.

The C. V. Hoar Scholarship Award winner is selected each year from all qualifying scholarship applications from students who are entering their first year post-secondary studies at a recognized college.

The Bison Transport Scholarship was awarded to Kevin McIlvenna, a resident of Smiths Falls, Ontario who is currently enrolled in his second year of a Bachelor of Commerce program at Queen’s University in Kingston. Kevin demonstrated a strong commitment to his post-secondary education as evidenced by an overall average mark of more than 90% for his first year at university. His volunteer work includes supervising kindergarten students on a weekly basis last year, tutoring high school students and coaching tennis for four years.

The Bison Transport Scholarship is awarded to one post-secondary student who demonstrates an exemplary commitment to his/her academic studies and community, and who is enrolled in full-time studies in a Transportation, Logistics, Human Resources, or Business program at a recognized university or college in Canada.

The Erb Group of Companies “Service to Community” Scholarship was awarded to Melanie Weinstock who recently commenced a 3-year diploma program at Seneca College’s program in Child and Youth Work. While struggling with a learning disability, Melanie learned to find her hidden strengths and passions outside of school and discovered that helping other people and caring for younger children was her calling.

She has been a regular and long-term volunteer at a geriatric centre, and has supervised children at a local youth program. She hopes to ultimately help young people in schools, treatment centers and/or hospitals by sharing her experiences with them.

The Erb Group of Companies “Service to Community” Scholarship is awarded to a first-year post-secondary student enrolled in a recognized college or university who demonstrates a commitment to his/her community, through his/her involvement in community and/or charitable volunteer work.

The J.D. Smith “Leaders of Tomorrow” Scholarship was awarded to Dylan Stafford, a resident of Caledon East, Ontario who is now attending Queen’s University where he is enrolled in a Bachelor of Economics Program.

Dylan is a graduate of St. Andrew’s College of Aurora where he excelled both in academics and extra-curricular activities. Dylan’s demonstration of his leadership abilities are too numerous to mention, but include working as a reporter for SACTV, participating on his school’s Student ITI Committee, Admissions Club, and the Environmental Sustainability Task Force. He has also completed 281 hours of community service and still managed to receive his school’s academic merit pin in each term.

Dylan also worked three summers as a counselor at Camp Otterdale near Ottawa. In 2010, he also took on the role of Head of the Sailing Program. He has also worked as a referee with his local soccer club, and has played organized hockey, soccer and football. He has also obtained both his Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross in Lifesaving.

The J.D. Smith and Sons “Leaders of Tomorrow” Scholarship recognizes one student each year who is the child of a parent or parents who work in the Ontario trucking industry and who demonstrates a commitment to his/her community, school or other volunteer undertaking through exemplary leadership qualities.

The OTA Allied Trades Division College Scholarship was awarded to Kristin Knill, a resident of Brantford, who is now attending Niagara College where she is enrolled in her second year of a Fitness and Health Promotion program.

Upon obtaining her diploma in Fitness and Health Promotion, Kristin plans to attend the University of Guelph-Humber to attain an Honours Degree in Applied Kinesiology. After attaining her degree from the University of Guelph-Humber, Kristin plans to continue to Chiropractic College to study to become a Doctor of Chiropractic. Kristin chose Chiropractic studies because she wants a career in an entrepreneurial, hands-on profession where she can interact with others and serve the public.

The OTA Allied Trades Division University Scholarship was awarded to Rebecca Shaw, a resident of Newmarket, Ontario who is now attending Trent University where she is enrolled in her second year in joint-major degree program in Sociology and Cultural Studies.

During her first year of university, Rebecca was nominated for an Essay award in Cultural Studies. She hopes to attain a minimum mark of 80% in each of her courses for the remainder of her program, and has set a goal of graduating with an Honours Degree. As a student who has to pay for her entire university education, Rebecca appreciates the financial support of the OTA Allied Trades Division and the Education Foundation.

The OTA Allied Trades Division scholarship is awarded each year to one university and one college student who has completed at least one year of post-secondary education and who has demonstrated a strong commitment to his/her education.

“The applications for this year’s endowed scholarships were outstanding”, said Michael Burke of the Infrastructure Heath and Safety Association and long-term member of the Foundation’s Selection Committee. “We really had our work cut out for us this year with so many deserving students submitting very impressive applications”.

“I continue to marvel at the quality of the students applying for OTA Education Foundation scholarships each year” continues Barrie Montague, past vice-president of the Ontario Trucking Association, and member of the Selection Committee. “This year was no exception, and while it was difficult in some cases to select just one recipient, it was certainly worth our effort”.

Dave Flett, former director for the OTA Education Foundation is also a member of the 2010 Selection Committee.

The OTA Education Foundation’s Endowed Scholarship program is funded entirely by one-time contributions by the organizations for which the scholarships are named. The eligibility and assessment criteria are determined jointly between the endowed fund contributors and the Foundation, who also administers the scholarship program.

“We said right from the start that we wanted to see industry step up to help us reach our target of $40,000, and even though we did not quite get there, we are not disappointed”, says Scott Smith, Foundation chairman. “We had lots of new donors step up to help out, and I believe that translates to more people in the industry knowing more about our scholarship program. There was certainly an increase in the number of companies sponsoring scholarship applications this year”.

Under the matching program, donations from new donors were matched dollar-for-dollar, as were those from existing supporters over$1,000. Donations are used to fund scholarships offered exclusively to children of parents who work in the Ontario trucking and trucking-related industry. Ontario carriers and industry suppliers are encouraged to promote these scholarship opportunities to their workers.

The Foundation would like to thank the following companies for supporting its Double-Up Donation Challenge:

“Along with remembering David, assisting those with ties to trucking is one of our key objectives”, says Debbie Virgoe, the wife of the late David Virgoe and organizer of the charity event, and advocate for road safety. “It’s great to know that the proceeds from this event will be used to fund scholarships for children of parents who work in the trucking industry. This is a great way to honour David’s memory. Education was important to him”.

“On behalf of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, I would like to extend the Foundation’s appreciation to Mrs. Virgoe for selecting the Foundation as the official charity for a second year in a row” says Scott Smith, chairman of the OTA Education Foundation. “We feel privileged to be part of this tribute to David Virgoe. This event is the result of a tragedy, but it’s a comfort to know that several Ontario university and college students will benefit from the generosity of those who participate in this event”.

The 4th Annual David Virgoe Memorial Golf Tournament and Silent Auction will take place on Saturday September 18th at the Harbourview Golf & Country Club in Gilford, Ontario. Proceeds from the tournament and silent auction will be used to fund OTA Education Foundation scholarships for students of parents who work in Ontario’s trucking industry. For more information, and to register, contact Debbie Virgoe at (705) 423-9223.

Ms. Schmidt will be studying mathematical physics at the University of Waterloo in September and has set her sights on attaining at least one post-graduate degree also in mathematical physics. A consistent honour roll student, she was a member of her school’s math and physics clubs and was a strong competitor in several math-related contests. She was a provincial medalist in the Sun Life Financial Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge. Ultimately, Ms. Schmidt hopes to work with researchers at the Institute of Quantum Computing or the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics.

“By all accounts, Samantha is a very deserving student of the Grant’s Transport Mathematics Scholarship, and we are once again pleased to provide some financial assistance to a local student who has demonstrated such an impressive commitment to her education”, says Gord Grant, president of Grant’s Transport Limited. “It is a great feeling to be able to give back to our community in a relatively small, but important way”.

The Grant’s Transport Mathematical Scholarship is awarded annually and funded by an endowed fund that was established by Grant’s Transport Limited of New Liskeard, Ontario and is administered by the OTA Education Foundation.

“We are well on our way towards reaching our goal, and we’re hoping that the additional two weeks will see industry step up so that we can fully capitalize on this exciting opportunity ” says Foundation chairman Scott Smith who is also president of J. D. Smith and Sons. “We’ve had a tremendous response from the industry this year, and it’s been great to see donations coming from companies that are new to the Foundation along with donations from our core supporters”. Smith also remarked that 100% of donations raised are used to fund scholarships offered exclusively to students of parents who work in trucking.

“Cavalier has been a strong supporter of the Foundation and its scholarship program for a long time – I’m guessing more than 20 years”, notes George Ledson, a Foundation director and president of Cavalier Transportation Services. “Several children of our employees and owner-operators have applied for and received scholarships, and we always make sure that all of our workers know about this unique scholarship opportunity. This is our industry’s Foundation, and I feel that it is important that industry supports it each and every year”.

Scholarship applications are sponsored by the companies that the parents work for. Carrier and allied trade companies are encouraged to market these scholarship opportunities to their employees and full-time sub-contractors.

Carriers and service supply companies are encouraged to donate to the Foundation before July 16, 2010.

“Despite a slow economic recovery, we are generally pleased with the success of our Double-Up campaign to date” says Scott Smith, Foundation chairman and president of J. D. Smith and Sons. “Of course, we would be absolutely ecstatic if we could reach our fundraising goal of $40,000 so that we can take full advantage of the matching offer. We’d really like to be in a position where we can award scholarships to all deserving applicants this year.” Only students of parents who work in the Ontario trucking industry are eligible for scholarships that are funded through these donations.

Under the matching program, donations from “new donors” will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Existing supporters – those that have donated in the previous three years – that donate a minimum amount of $1,000 will also see their contributions matched.

The Foundation would like to thank the following members of the Ontario trucking industry for donating during the 2010 Double-Up Donation Challenge:

Ontario carriers and industry suppliers are encouraged to promote these and other scholarship opportunities to their workers.

Sky is a student enrolled in Conestoga College’s Truck Trailer Service (Co-op) program, and is the first student to receive the Trailcon Leasing scholarship. A father of one daughter, Sky chose the truck-trailer service program so that he could work closer to home. He also felt comfortable with the trade having become familiar with the equipment during his three-year tenure as a tractor-trailer driver.

“I’m so pleased to be able to provide some financial assistance to such a hard-working student, and particularly one who has first-hand experience in the trucking industry as a driver”, says Al Boughton, president of Trailcon Leasing Inc. in Mississauga and sponsor of the scholarship. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to encourage individuals to pursue the trailer service trade while providing much-needed assistance to someone who has demonstrated a strong commitment to his education.” Winners are selected by Conestoga College using academic performance criteria along with established criteria to assess financial need.

The OTA Education Foundation awards several scholarships each year to students who are children of parents who work in the trucking industry. Carrier and allied trade companies are encouraged to market these scholarship opportunities to their employees and full-time sub-contractors.

The Trailcon Leasing Trailer Service Technician Scholarship is funded by an endowed fund sponsored by Trailcon Leasing and administered by the OTA Education Foundation, Inc.

Michael Staines is a mature student who returned to school to obtain qualifications to help him be more successful in a changing labour market, and is the father of three children. Scott Andree hopes to one day be able to work on both trucks and trailers, but is currently geared up find employment as a trailer technician.

“This is very exciting for us” says George Cobham, chairman and CEO of Glasvan Great Dane Sales Inc. of Mississauga, Ontario. “I believe that we, both as a trailer sales company and as a member of the Ontario trucking industry have a responsibility to encourage and assist today’s students with educations that will ultimately benefit the entire industry”. The winners of the Glasvan Great-Dane scholarships are selected by Conestoga College using academic performance as the primary criterion.

The Glasvan Great Dane Truck Trailer Service Technician Scholarship is funded by an endowed fund sponsored by Glasvan Great Dane Sales Inc., and is administered by the OTA Education Foundation, Inc.

“We really want to see industry step-up this year and help us reach our target of $40,000, says Scott Smith, Foundation chairman and president of J. D. Smith and Sons. “What’s different about this challenge is that we are really trying to encourage more ‘new donors’ which are companies that have never donated before and those who may have missed helping us in the previous three years, to make a donation this year”.

“We are really excited about this”, continued Smith. “Through a similar matching program announced in 2008, the Foundation was able to increase the amount of scholarships disbursed in 2009 by 132% over the amount disbursed in 2008. We hope to be able to give out even more in scholarship dollars for the academic year starting this September”.

Donations received under this matching program are used to fund scholarships offered exclusively to children of parents who work in the Ontario trucking and trucking-related industry. Ontario carriers and industry suppliers are encouraged to promote these scholarship opportunities to their workers. For more information, click on www.ontruck.org/educationfoundationor e-mail the Foundation’s executive director, Betsy Sharples, at education.foundation@ontruck.org.

“We are extremely pleased to announce that all of the Foundation’s endowed scholarships are now fully developed, and available for students to make application under”, says Betsy Sharples, the Foundation’s executive director. “We now offer a wide array of scholarships that reflect the priorities and values of the companies that endowed these funds and then worked with us in developing several unique scholarship opportunities”.

Parents and students are urged to review the endowed scholarships for which application forms are available.

Bison Transport Scholarship Awarded to a full-time student enrolled in a recognized Transportation, Logistics, Human Resources or Business program at a Canadian University or College.

The Erb Group of Companies "Service to Community"
Scholarship Awarded to a first-year post-secondary student enrolled in a recognized college or university, who demonstrates a commitment to his/her community, through his/her involvement in community and/or charitable volunteer work.

J.D. Smith & Sons “Leaders of Tomorrow” Scholarship
Awarded to a university student who demonstrates a commitment to his/her community, school or other volunteer undertaking while demonstrating exemplary leadership qualities.

OTA Allied Trades Division Scholarships
Awarded to one university student and one college student, who have completed at least one year of post-secondary education, and who has demonstrated a strong commitment to his/her academic performance.

OTA Professional Driver Memorial Scholarship Award
Awarded in the memory of a true truck hero, David Virgoe, who lost his life in a crash caused by street racers, for children of Ontario truck drivers who are killed or seriously injured on the road.

OTA Professional Driver Memorial Scholarship Award
Awarded in the memory of a true truck hero, David Virgoe, who lost his life in a crash caused by street racers, for children of Ontario truck drivers who are killed or seriously injured on the road.

In addition, the following endowed scholarships have been established in conjunction with specific education institutions such as high schools and colleges. Winners are selected by the schools’ respective selection committees:

Don Anderson Haulage Business Scholarship/Don Anderson Haulage Technology Scholarship
Awarded to two students graduating from Stouffville District Secondary School who are pursuing educations in business or technology at the college level.

Glasvan Great Dane Truck-Trailer Service Technician Scholarship
Awarded to two high-achieving students each year who are enrolled in the Truck Trailer Service Co-opprogram at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.

Grant’s Transport Math Scholarship
Awarded to the top university-bound math student graduating from Timiskaming District Secondary School.

Trailcon Leasing Truck-Trailer Service Technician Scholarship
Awarded to one student each year who is enrolled in the Truck Trailer Service Co-op program at Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.

TST Overland Express International Transportation and Customs Scholarship
Awarded to two students entering their second year in Seneca College’s International Transportation and Customs diploma program.

All endowed scholarships are awarded annually and are funded by endowed funds administered by the OTA Education Foundation.

In order to be eligible for the scholarships, students must provide proof of acceptance into a recognized full-time program at an approved university or college, be 25 years of age or under as of January 1, 2010, and be sponsored by an Ontario trucking company or trucking services/supply company that employs or contracts a parent of the applicant. In addition, students must submit a brief essay that answers a question about the trucking industry.

While the same application form can be used to apply for the J.O. Goodman and C.V. Hoar awards, there are some additional requirements. Applications for the J.O. Goodman and C.V. Hoar awards are assessed on criteria which include academic achievement, service to community, and extra -curricular activities. Winners are chosen by the Foundation’s Selection Committee.

The OTA Education Foundation college and university scholarships as well as the J.O. Goodman and C.V. Hoar awards are funded through donations that are received primarily from trucking and trucking related companies, for which tax receipts are issued. The number of scholarships disbursed each year is dependent, in part, on the amount received in donations for that year. The OTA Education Foundation provided nearly $45,000 in assistance to post-secondary students for the 2009/2010 academic year.

The Student Scholarship Application Package for the2010/2011 Academic Year contains complete information and instructions, along with all the necessary forms for the general scholarships, as well as the J.O. Goodman and C.V. Hoar awards.

“I’ve known Scott for some time now through various industry-related committees and events, and I think that Scott will be a strong addition to our existing compliment of dedicated directors” says Smith. “With three children hovering around the post-secondary age, I know that Scott is well aware of the financial challenges confronting university and college students in Ontario. Scott’s enthusiasm and drive will certainly help advance the Foundation’s goals”, continued Smith.

“I’m really looking forward to making a real contribution to the Education Foundation”, says Scott Tilley. “At Tandet, we have recently started to promote the Foundation’s scholarship opportunities to our workers, and many have submitted applications. I feel privileged to have been nominated to be a director”.

Mr. Tilley has worked for The Tandet Group since 1985 when he started in lease sales. In 2006, he and his brother purchased the business. He is currently a member of the Ontario Trucking Association’s Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Membership Committee. He is also an active member of the National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC), a trade association based in Arlington, Virginia.