Fall 2015 Director's Message

Photo - Left to Right: Peter, Krista, Susan, Jane, Anne, and Michael Fenety

I had the honor of making the first contribution to the 2015 Scholarship Fund the day it was created. The funds came from the annual Fenety family Christmas Gift Fund, set up years ago by my three sisters, two brothers and me to honor our late parents, Jack and Joyce (Nason) Fenety. We wanted to celebrate their commitment to community causes—a sense of duty that was particularly strong during the Christmas season. So each Christmas we pool the money that we would have spent on presents for each other. Most years, our spouses and children add to the fund, which we donate to an organization we believe would speak to our parents' causes and values. These recipients were often related to organizations my parents supported (e.g. children’s literacy, Atlantic salmon conservation) or to their health concerns (e.g. breast cancer). We take turns in selecting the recipient and writing a letter telling the organization why we selected them. In December, 2013, it was my turn and here is what I wrote to External Relations at Dalhousie University:

“Donating to a university scholarship fund is a deeply personal choice and speaks not to my parents' public generosity, but to their personal support of me and my academic dreams. The support began when Mum taught me to read at age four and supplied me with endless reading challenges that fueled my imagination. During those pre-school years, Dad indulged my need to tell him details of what I had read that day and challenged me to broaden my pursuits. How they supported me changed over the years. Mum came to my school closings. Dad came to my basketball games. Mum supported my choice to study at UNB for the express purpose of playing basketball. Dad wrote cheques. Mum supported my decision to set aside my physiotherapy career and pursue graduate studies. Dad wrote more cheques. 

So, because not every physiotherapy student has a Joyce and Jack Fenety standing beside them offering encouragement, support, and financial help, I am directing the annual Fenety family Christmas Gift Fund to support the Dalhousie School of Physiotherapy 2015 Scholarship Fund. This new fund will support merit-based scholarships and will support students facing academic difficulties, financial emergencies, and health-related challenges. I believe Mum and Dad would support this initiative. They supported merit and they understood the impact of health and personal challenges on scholarship. And, they had considerable experience supporting a physiotherapy scholar.”

Anne Fenety, on behalf of Michael, Susan (Doherty), Jane (Beyea), Krista (Arsenault), and Peter Fenety