Doc Seaman's ongoing legacy

[octothorp]

I thought about bumping one of the two-year old threads about him, but I really think this deserves its own: the Calgary Foundation announced today that Doc Seaman left more than $117 million to them for community-based programs, making one of the largest charitable donations in Canadian history. Over 100 years, this gift will result in as much as $1.4 billion granted to charities.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle11655502/

It's been said before but he was just an amazing person and should be a point of pride for all Flames fans.

[Tacoman]

Unbelievable. Thanks for pointing this out. Sometimes all of us need to take a step back and remember how lucky we all are as fans and as Calgarians to have the owners we have. You go through the list of donations that they have made and the impact that they've had on our city and I don't think that there's another group anywhere that can compare.

I know it's easy to dump on them when things are tough like they are now for the on-ice product but it has never been because they don't care or that they won't step up.

[nfotiu]

I found this kind of bizarre from the article:

Although the grand total is unknown, it may be possible that the gift will surpass the largest-known cash donation in Canadian history – a $200-million donation from the Fondation Lucie and André Changnon to Investir pour l’avenir six years ago to help tackle obesity.

That's a lot of dough to fight obesity. There better not be any fat people in Quebec now!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by fotze

What does the Calgary foundation do?

Paint electrical boxes and troll citizens with cow statues?

[Northendzone]

fyp

Originally Posted by fotze

What does the Human foundation do?

anywyas, all joking aside, I am a relative of docs, and I got nothin from him.......seriously now, all joking really aside - wow what a gift. it should really make a difference in a lot of peoples lives.

his family should b very proud of the legacy he left here.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by fotze

What does the Calgary foundation do?

They don't run many specific programs themselves. Mostly, they help to fund projects organized by other charities through grant programs. So, any local charity can apply to them for funding for specific projects (or for organizational development) that will improve the community.

[Rathji]

For the past 3 or so years, I have worked with a lady who is quitting to go to work distributing these funds (pretty sure this is it, unless there is another Doc Seaman fund starting up that I don't know about).

Pretty awesome job if you ask me, giving people a chance to make their lives better, especially considering the source.

[EVERLAST]

amazing family....worked at Encal Energy years ago one of his companies that was bought by Calpine.

My mother worked for years for Encal and when she passed away from a long battle with cancer he secretly paid for all expenses while she was in the hospital and hospice. I never met the man personally but found out after being named executor of the will.

[oilfanforever]

I know he also shelled out a million or two to build new dorms at my old high school - Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Saskatchewan.

I'm guessing this large donation was only part of the money he left behind.

Great man

[taxbuster]

Originally Posted by fotze

What does the Calgary foundation do?

Originally Posted by octothorp

They don't run many specific programs themselves. Mostly, they help to fund projects organized by other charities through grant programs. So, any local charity can apply to them for funding for specific projects (or for organizational development) that will improve the community.

Actually, TCF (http://www.thecalgaryfoundation.org/) does a number of things:
- they manage funds for people who want to use their money philanthropically; either these folks create a "fund" or have a foundation of their own and give the money to TCF to manage. This includes both income generation and distribution to charities. Most of these "funds" are endowments (ie the capital is never spent; they just spin off income annually)
- they run "flow throughs" for other charities who don't want to operate programs, but want their funds used appropriately; they receive and flow through the funds to designated organizations for specified purposes;
- they educate the public on philanthropy
- they don't run service programs of their own; their business is service to other charities and to investor-donors

They have just under $500 million in assets under management and are an organization on which other community funds model themselves. They are extremely professional and well-run.

[skeena1]

Kevin Gibson ‏@TSNResearch 2m May 21/80: Atlanta Flames are sold to a group of Canadian businessmen and they announce team will move to Calgary