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Overview
Each year, three bursaries are presented to burn survivors from British Columbia who are continuing their post secondary education.
They are the Oswald Howell Memorial Bursary, the Captain Alex Blake Memorial Bursary and the Dr. Charles Snelling Bursary.
Oswald Howell Memorial Bursary ($1,000)
Captain M. Oswald "Ozzie" Howell was stationed at No. 3 Fire Hall. He joined Vancouver Fire Department Local 18 in 1927, and died at the age of 46 on June 14, 1952 from burn injuries suffered in a collision with his R & S squad wagon and a car while enroute to a rescue call. New #13 Fire Hall was dedicated in Memory of "Oz" on April 5, 2003.
In 2002, the Howell family donated $25 thousand to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund to assist young burn survivors residing in British Columbia who wish to further their post-secondary education.
Captain Alex Blake Bursary ($500) & Dr. Charles Snelling Bursary ($500)
In December 1977, Captain Alex Blake from the District of Coquitlam Fire Department met with Dr. Charles Snelling, Director of the Burn Unit at Vancouver General Hospital. Captain Blake’s experience as a fire fighter made him want to do more for burn survivors — to help assist in their long and painful recovery. It was a natural fit that he approach the VGH Burn Unit to offer support. As a fire fighter, he had been involved in fundraising for many years, and wished to propose that all of British Columbia’s professional fire fighters join in the fundraising effort for the Burn Unit, particularly as the unit had become the major burn referral centre for the province.
The gentlemen discussed the needs of the Burn Unit at VGH, and at that time, the Burn Unit required approximately $40,000 worth of equipment.
Then Captain Blake approached the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Association to develop a province-wide fundraising effort for the Burn Unit. Fire Departments and Fire Fighters take active roles in their communities to suppress fires and help prevent them, and it was a natural fit for them to be concerned about people injured in fires, and offer support for their long and painful recovery.
Fire Fighter Locals throughout British Columbia formed the Burn Fund at the Association’s biennial convention in June of 1978, when the Fire Fighters adopted the policy of Burn Unit assistance.
Because of the Fire Fighters commitment and donations, the Vancouver General Hospital set up a fund called ‘Burn Unit Fire Fighters’ Fund’ to receive money raised by fire fighters. In 1980, VGH ‘organized a foundation concerned with fund-raising for the whole hospital, with a subsection specifically dealing with the Burn Unit.’ [Letter from Captain Alex Blake, undated, 1979/80]
A Legacy for British Columbia's Burn Survivors
The BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund is grateful to both Captain Blake and Dr. Snelling for their dedication and support. The bursaries named after them are the legacy that both men have left to our province’s burn survivors.
Captain Alex Blake retired from the Coquitlam Fire Department in March 31st, 1985. He passed away in 2003.
Six-time Canadian Men’s Champion, seven-time world team member and two-time Olympic competitor – these are just some of the highlights of Dr. Charles Snelling’s figure skating career.
After capturing the Canadian Junior Men’s Championships in 1952, Dr. Snelling, a native of Toronto, went on to win five consecutive Senior Men’s national titles from 1954-1958. He also competed in his first Winter Olympic Games in 1956 and won the bronze medal at the World Championships in 1957.
Following his victory at the Canadian Championships in 1958, Dr. Snelling decided to pursue a career in medicine and retired from competitive skating to attend the University of Toronto. Following his graduation from medical school in 1962, Dr. Snelling’s competitive fire was rekindled. He retuned to competitive skating and won his sixth national title in 1964.
Dr. Snelling’s victory at the 1964 Canadian Championships earned him a spot on the 1964 Olympic team, sending him to the second Olympic Games of his career. He enjoyed one of the longest skating careers in this country, spanning seventeen years from 1950 to 1967.
Dr. Snelling has gone on to a successful career as a surgeon. He is also a medical professor at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Charles Snelling is semi-retired, and remains active with the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn, Plastic & Trauma Unit at Vancouver General Hospital.
More Information
For more information, or if the burn survivor meets the criteria to apply for a bursary, please telephone the Burn Fund office at 604-436-5617, or send an email to info@burnfund.org. |
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