At the 2017 National Philanthropy Day Awards for the Association of Fundraising Professionals South Eastern Ontario Chapter on November 15, Lanny and Catharine Huff were presented with the Outstanding Philanthropist Award.
Loyalist College was honoured to nominate Mr. and Mrs. Huff for this award, which recognizes an individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity encourages others to take philanthropic leadership roles on a community, national and/or international level.
Lanny and Catharine Huff’s support of countless organizations in Prince Edward County and the surrounding region on an annual basis, is truly outstanding, and more than warrants this recognition. Their major gift support and volunteer support have helped Loyalist College immensely over the years. Mrs. Huff has served as a director on the College Foundation since 2010, helping oversee the programs and especially the endowment fund for awards, which now totals $10.6 million (March 31, 2017).
In 2008, the family established The Peter F. Huff Endowment Fund in memory of their son, a former student at the College, to provide financial assistance to Prince Edward County students studying at Loyalist. A leadership gift from the family in March of this year was the largest single gift ever made to the College endowment fund and brought the total in the family’s endowed fund to $850,000. This is the largest fund administered by The Loyalist College Foundation.
Major support was also provided by the Huff family during the most recent Capital Campaign at the College to build the Bay of Quinte Skills Centre. Their gift was recognized with the naming of The Peter F. Huff Automotive Centre, the updated facility which is the home of students and apprentices in Motive Power and Automotive programs.
The support from the Huff family has had an invaluable impact on Loyalist College and its students and will continue to do so throughout the future, with increasing numbers of students receiving financial assistance from their endowment, allowing learners to pursue their post-secondary goals. Increased education and training leads to the success of individuals and their families, with greater social and economic health and stability.
An article titled ‘Inspiring,’ from The Wellington Times on September 7, 2017, accounts how Lanny and Catharine Huff are builders of the community, motivating others to get involved as volunteers, and through their generous financial support. Author Rick Conroy reflects that, “Prince Edward County would be unrecognizable were it not for the generosity and kindness of Lanny and Catharine Huff. There is scarcely a corner, a cultural activity or community gathering place that has not benefited from their grace. Their thoughtfulness. Their good-heartedness.”
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About Loyalist
Located on more than 200 acres in the beautiful Bay of Quinte region, Loyalist College is a close-knit community where students and their success come first. Loyalist provides personalized attention in small classes, rewarding field placements and superior student services. To prepare students for in-demand careers, Loyalist offers more than 65 full-time programs; apprenticeships; and hundreds of online, distance and in-class courses, as well as opportunities for continuing education through more than 70 university transfer agreements. The College’s wide selection of advanced diplomas, diplomas and certificates aligns with market-driven disciplines including applied sciences, biosciences, building sciences, business and management studies, health sciences, human studies, justice studies, media, arts and design, and skills and technology. In Ontario, the College’s new Digital Media Centre and The Bay of Quinte Skills Centre, which is LEED® Silver certified, are training centres of choice for students, as well as College business and industry partners. The College is a key driver of the social and economic health and prosperity of the area and contributes 5.4 percent to the Gross Regional Product. This represents an overall effect on the regional economy of $530 million annually – based on a 2014 Report by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI). For more information on the College’s Belleville and Bancroft campuses and Port Hope location, visit loyalistcollege.com.
Contact: Dianne Spencer, Executive Director, College Advancement & External Relations,
Loyalist College, dspencer@loyalistc.on.ca, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2235