Victor Thunderchild. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D’Andrea

For Victor

Scholarship made in by Carlton teachers in Victor Thunderchild’s name, funds being raised on GoFundMe

Apr 22, 2021 | 2:00 PM

After Victor Thunderchild’s sudden passing on Saturday, two teachers at Carlton Comprehensive High School teamed up to raise money to create a scholarship in his name.

Dani Van Steelandt and Kelly Klassen both created a GoFundMe for the Victor Thunderchild Legacy Scholarship. As of Thursday morning, just after 22 hours of the fundraiser going live, it has already raised close to $5,000 on the GoFundMe, and well-over $1,000 raised through a donation account at the Conexus Credit Union.

Van Steelandt, Klassen, and the rest of their unofficial board are looking for $20,000 for five years worth of scholarships. The plan is to award two $2,000 scholarships each year to one male and one female student of Indigenous decent that are pursuing post-secondary education.

Friesen said although the support for somebody like Thunderchild is not shocking at all, he still didn’t expect to see so much raised in such a little time.

“I don’t think we truly expected what we’ve had so far. We did have a lot of people reaching out, asking what they could do and how they could help support the school, and the kids, and Victor. It’s amazing what people have been donating so far, and there’s still a lot of people asking questions and preparing to do it,” Klassen said. “It’s surprising, but knowing the people that Victor knew, and knowing all the kind words that people have been giving the school and his family, it’s not truly that surprising that people are reaching out to help him and what he was doing in education.”

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Thunderchild was at the school for nearly 30 years as a teacher and a student counsellor. But Van Steelandt said Thunderchild was so much more than that.

“He was a champion for all students at Carlton, but had a really special relationship with our First Nation students and the First Nation community,” Van Steelandt said. “The work that he did was about encouragement and empowerment, empowering kids to do as much as they could, to go as far as they could. To push themselves, to take risks. He was really connected to kids in that sort of way.

“Now that he’s gone, one of the things I’m realizing is that was an unofficial role for Victor. He was a counselor, so with that unofficial role, we’re left with this void,” added Van Steelandt. “And we just need a way right now to continue the work he was doing. One way for us to do that is to continue to encourage kids to do all they can to go on to education. To succeed where they can, is to support them financially. That’s where the scholarship comes in.”

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW