Help bring Head Strong $35,000 closer to helping Brain Injury survivors with their education costs. Zehr Insurance Brokers Ltd has nominated Head Strong as an idea in the Aviva Community Fund to receive $35,000 that will benefit the Brain Injury Association of Canada’s Bursary Fund – assisting brain injury survivors with costs associated with post-secondary education.

Brain injury occurs suddenly, without warning. In an instant life is changed, forever. Canadian Hockey League defenseman Ben Fanelli knows this first hand. In October of 2009 Ben suffered a head injury that changed his life. Because of this Ben has realized the need for Brain Injury Awareness and funding. And that is why he teamed up with the Kitchener Rangers to start Head Strong; Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness: a program designed to raise awareness about brain injuries and provide funds to various Brain Injury associations and programs.

Brain Injury awareness and program funding is close to home for Zehr Insurance Brokers Limited President John Zehr. His daughter Kelly, has an acquired brain injury as a result of an illness she suffered when she was younger. The Zehr Insurance family understands how disadvantaged brain injury victims can be when it comes to competing with life’s opportunities. Kelly’s mom, Dr. Laurie Sellers, a physician who works in the emergency room, sees the challenges brain injury victims live with on every shift. A brain injury is heart breaking. It can set a family back both emotionally and financially. This brain injury cause needs increased awareness and support. Kelly is pleased to help with this campaign to create possibilities for brain injury victims to develop meaningful careers and places in society through the scholarship awards this program will fund.

Since its launch in March 2011, Head Strong has experienced a tremendous amount of support. We hope this will continue as Head Strong looks to the Aviva Community Fund to assist the Brain Injury Association of Canada in their mission to provide educational bursaries to brain injury survivors.

It is the mandate of the Brain Injury Association of Canada to improve the quality of life for all Canadians affected by acquired Brain Injury and promote its prevention. In 2008 the BIAC (Brain Injury Association of Canada) created a bursary fund. The fund is managed and decided upon by a committee made up of three BIAC board members with specific background in awarding educational funding. The BIAC Bursary Program was intended to assist students living with an acquired brain injury to pursue educational opportunities in English or French post secondary institutions or apprenticeship/trades programs. Last year this program was unable to assist any of the more than 25 applicants as there was no funding available.

Through the Aviva Community Fund we hope to bring the BIAC Bursary Program back and make it better than ever.

The Aviva Community Fund donates $1 million dollars to multiple organizations annually. Head Strong has been entered by Zehr Insurance Brokers Ltd as an IDEA (nomination) in the Aviva Community Fund challenge to receive $35,000 for the BIAC Bursary Program. In order to receive funding Head Strong must receive enough votes to move forward to the final round of judging. There are three rounds of voting. The top ideas from each round will advance. Once in the finals a panel will score the top 30 ideas, rank them and start awarding funding.

The goal of $35,000 for the BIAC Bursary Program will provide 10 bursaries of $3,500 (English and/or French). This is an increase from the current two $2,000 bursaries (English and French) that are offered and provide the ability to be able to help a higher percentage of applicants who need help with their educational costs.

Be a Head Strong champion – VOTE and PROMOTE TODAY.
Voting for Round 1 begins on Monday, October 3rd, 2011 at 12PM ET
Voting is easy and there are multiple ways you can do it.

1. Register and vote for HEAD STRONG.

2. If you are a registered Facebook member you can LIKE us on our Aviva Community Fund listing page. Your LIKE will count as your vote and will automatically share to your Facebook wall for others to see.

3. Visit http://www.avivacommunityfund.org and search HEAD STRONG or our ID is: ACF11102

4. Visit www.kitchenerrangers.com

Important things to remember: You must register to vote. You only have to do this once. Each registered voter will receive up to 15 votes (note: you can only vote once a day for any given idea). If you need to search for Head Strong it is listed under the health category. Come back daily to vote. Promote our Head Strong idea to your friends, family members, coworkers and more. Use Facebook, Twitter and word of mouth to help keep Head Strong on top.

With your voting and promoting we can become a finalist for a $35,000 gift that will bring back the BIAC Bursary Program.

If you would like to become more involved by making a video to promote this idea, hanging posters at your business or sending out an email blast to co-workers please call Michelle Fortin at 519-576-3700 or email mfortin@kitchenerrangers.com.

- By Yvan Michel Teasdale

On July 11th at the National Conference held at Villa St Martin in Pierrefonds, Quebec , our President Shirley Johnson and Yvan Teasdale, Chair of the Government Relations and Public Affairs Committee, presented a $2,000 Bursary to Phillip Roy, a student at the Université du Québec at Rimouski in the presence of his proud mother Manon Lefort. Phillip is pursuing a master’s degree in Management of Maritime resources.

A second $2,000 bursary will be awarded to Akira Peters of Yukon who is pursuing an Honours BA in English and History at the University of Saskatchewan.

The Selection Committee composed of Board of Directors, namely, Marina White (Nfld & L.), Larry Carlson (Sask.) and Yvan Teasdale (Que.) had the difficult task of selecting only two candidates for the second edition of a $2,000 Bursary Program awarded to brain injury survivors pursuing post-secondary education opportunities in an English or French institution or apprenticeship/trades program in Canada.

Upon learning that he would be receiving a bursary, Phillip said: ‘’I danced in joy when I learned that I qualified for a bursary’’.

Congratulations to the selected candidates! We wish them success in their endeavours and we will follow their progress with interest.

If you were not selected this year, please try again, or, if you did not apply, you should consider doing so in time for the 2010-2011 school year. If you are applying using the BIAC online application or BIAC’s application form, you must send it by April 30th of the given year. Bursary information will be posted on our website.

By: Yvan Teasdale
President of The Newfoundland and Labrador Brain Injury Association Tom Lush, centre Bursary Winner Chelsea Penny and Newfoundland and Labrador Brain Injury Association Board Director and National Representative Marina White.

In June 2008, BIAC awarded its first $2,000 bursaries to brain injury survivors pursuing post-secondary education opportunities in an English or French institution or apprenticeship/trades program in Canada. The Bursary program, managed by the Government Relations and Public Affairs Committee, was created to promote Brain Injury Awareness Month (June).

At the end of the process, a Selection Committee composed of Larry Carlson, Jeff Norwig and Yvan Teasdale was convened and undertook the difficult task of selecting only two recipients. The decision rested on two students living as far apart as can be, but sharing the same dream of pursuing an education while living with the effects of acquired brain injuries. I am pleased to announce that the bursaries have been awarded to:

Meghan Elizabeth Hall of Victoria, British Columbia, who has been granted admission to a four-year Bachelor degree program with a major in General Studies. Meghan is presented with the cheque by our President, Shirley Johnson.

Meghan Hall from Victoria, B.C. and Senator Mahoney

Chelsea Penney of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador who has been granted admission to Memorial University with a major in Psychology. Marina White, the provincial representative on our board, presents Chelsea with her cheque .

Both students were thrilled to be receiving financial support in pursuit of a university education. We wish them success in their endeavours and we will follow their progress as the first recipients of the bursary.

If you were not selected this year, please try again or, if you did not apply you should consider doing so in time for the 2009-2010 school year. Watch for information on our website.

BIAC is now accepting applications for a $2,000. bursary to pursue educational opportunities in English or French post secondary institution or apprenticeship/trades programs for acquired brain injury survivors in Canada. The deadline to submit your application is April 30th, 2008. For more detailed information please click on Brain Injury Awareness Month.
Policy – Appraisal Form (PDF / Word) – Application Form (PDF / Word)
Please mail your application to:
Brain Injury Association of Canada, Box 197, 919C Albert Street, Regina, SK, S4R 2P6