Colleagues present scholarship to honour Bruce Vance

The class of 1978-79 came together to create a $3,000 scholarship in memory of classmate Bruce Vance, who died last year. Left to right are: Scott Patterson, class member and a friend of Bruce’s; Owen Fulton, recipient; Cindy Bes, class member and scholarship organizer; Alex Dunbar, recipient; and Derek Partlo, Glendale Guidance counsellor. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Graduates of the Glendale High School Class of 1978-79 honour one of their ranks who recently died by contributing to a scholarship.

Former Tillsonburg resident Bruce Vance passed away last October after a battle with cancer. After graduating from Ryerson University with a degree in Radio and Television Arts, he headed west to work as a sportscaster in Dawson Creek, BC. He moved to Medicine Hat and then Lethbridge, AB. In Lethbridge, he was also part of a men’s national championship team.

In 2001, Bruce and his family moved to Prince Albert, SK, where he lived until his passing. He was heavily involved in the sporting community in Prince Albert, working for the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League as marketing director and spearheading a campaign to renovate the arena.

Cindy Bes, who was part of the ’78-’79 graduating class, said something similar is done when one of their former classmates passes. She headed up the effort for Vance, collecting donations from across the country.

“I’m so proud of the grads that donated to this scholarship,” she said. “I know there are more classmates that would have helped out if I could have found them.”

After the money was collected, Bes approached the Glendale guidance team and provided outlines of the students they wished to receive the scholarship. The intention was the students be taking sports management, radio/tv broadcasting, communications, event management or business management.

The committee chose Owen Fulton, who will be taking advertising and marketing communications at Conestoga College, and Alexander Dunbar, who will be taking business marketing at Fanshawe College, as the recipients.

“It’s important to give back to the community,” Bes said. “When we went to Glendale, there were those who helped us out.”