ALUMNI News - Fanshawe College

making a
planned
gift makes
all kinds of
sense
24
CAMPAIGN
For Deborah Mates (Physical Fitness Instructor 83), there are
a few “givens” in her life. It is a given that her daughters are the
centre of her world and she gives to her community, her career
and her friends in so many creative ways it’s hard to count. Now,
she has also given a planned gift to Fanshawe College which is
a method of giving that makes sense for her and many others.
“I was the only one in my family to attend college, and I knew it was
an opportunity and a privilege,” says Deborah Mates as she recalls her
college days. “I know that Fanshawe shaped my life and my career in a
signifi cant way.”
Now it is Deb’s turn to shape the direction of the many causes she
supports in a signifi cant way, including that of her employer. In her
role as Resource Development Manager, she leads a $6 million capital
campaign for the London Ski Club, a charitable organization.
After graduation from Fanshawe College, she worked in the fi tness
industry for a few years before being drawn to work in Marketing and
Communications at Cuddy International. At the same time, she was
putting in many hours as a volunteer at Parkwood Hospital.
“It was Mac Cuddy who encouraged me to pursue fundraising work,”
she remembers. “He said, ‘Deb, you need to be at Parkwood.’ It was
a defi ning moment for me. I knew I had to be doing something that
benefi ts other people.”
Deborah says the pleasure and rewards of helping others is being
passed along to her daughters Maranda (14) and Chelsea (11). “My
girls already understand the importance of giving. During their time in
daycare at Parkwood, they visited patients and were involved in arts
and crafts with the veterans. I am proud to see that they are growing
into kind and caring people.”
Deborah has found a way to ensure that future Fanshawe students
have the life-shaping opportunity she had. She has made a generous
planned gift to Fanshawe College.
“Fanshawe gave me confi dence and provided me with the tools I
needed to succeed in all the work I’ve done since,” says Deborah. “A
planned gift through a life insurance policy is an affordable way for me
to make a contribution to thank Fanshawe for what it gave me. I know
that the College and its students are our future. It just feels right!”
Whatever the future may hold for Deborah’s career, we’re pretty sure
that volunteering and giving will continue to be a big part of her life. If
you’d like to fi nd out more about making a planned gift, please contact
the Fanshawe College Development Offi ce at 519.452.4112 or online
www.fanshawec.ca.
Fanshawe College Alumni News Spring 2006