Supporting our Mission

The goal of the Foundation is to raise money through inclusive and community-driven events and use the funds to develop initiatives that support the development of Canadian ski coaches, and the fight against brain cancer.

In order to make the greatest impact with available funds, we created a bursary program with the Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) and Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) to provide developing coaches the opportunity to attend camps and races with the National Team. These coaches gain hands-on experience working with the top athletes in the country and use their experience to give back to their local ski communities.

We also allocate select funds to support the fight against brain cancer. Working with the Kellock Family, we identify external initiatives that align with our goal and provide fiscal support.

We invite you to explore our past initiatives and stay tuned into our social channels to learn more about what’s in the pipeline and how you can be involved.

  • 2022 ACA Coaching Interface

    Learn more about the 2022 ACA coaching interfaces from the coaches themselves!! Check out the detailed interface debrief with coaches Cat Strus and Mary-Beth Hemphill hosted by JKF directors Charlie and Morgan

  • Sunnybrook Hospital - Gord Downie Fund

    In November 2021, the Foundation met at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, where Jonny spent his final year, to deliver a $10,000 donation to the Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research. Besides being a big fan of the Tragically Hip, Jonny would be proud of the fund’s goals and use of funds to develop the tools to help beat brain cancers that are currently unbeatable. Right now, the fund provides support to investigate new drugs, surgical techniques and genetic therapies, including using ultrasound to help drugs reach tumours that couldn't be reached before.

    We hope to continue these efforts with Sunnybrook and other leading Brain Cancer Research Institutions

  • 2021 Nakiska/Lake Louise World Cup

    In coordination with Alpine Canada, the Foundation selected Mike Schneider of Caledon Ski Club to join our Men’s National Speed Team for final preparations at Nakiska Ski Area before joining the team behind the nets at the Lake Louise World Cup. Mike was a critical member of the team for those two weeks and is thrilled to bring his learnings back to Caledon.

  • 2022 World Junior Championships

    In coordination with Alpine Canada, the Foundation has selected a well-qualified coach to support Team Canada at the World Junior Ski Championships being held in Panorama, BC this March. We see this as an ideal opportunity to accelerate the transfer of knowledge from Canada’s leading junior athletes and staff to the club and provincial levels.

    We caught up with Amanda Smith after her trip to Panorama for the 2022 World Junior Ski Championships. As our second coach in the Alpine Canada Interface program, it was great to hear Amanda’s insights and experience! Check out the video interview below between the Foundation and Amanda below.

  • Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

    In June 2022, members of the foundation met with Jen Kellock and Tara Wicket (close family friend of the Kellocks) at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre to present a $10,000 donation. We were also joined by Denise Bilodeau, a social worker on Dr. Perry’s team - who were exceptionally passionate and focused on Jonny’s well-being during his time at Sunnybrook.

    This money will be allocated through The Gord Downie Fund for Brain Cancer Research, which directly supports treatment, equipment, and research, amongst many other important initiatives. We invite you to learn more about the fund and Sunnybrooke’s Odette Cancer Program here, as the work they do is truly admirable.

    Being able to provide support to the Women and men working tirelessly to treat and end brain cancer makes us incredibly proud, and thankful to Jonny’s community for making it possible.

    After saying goodbye to our Sunnybrook friends, we ended up staying another hour just talking Jonny. We gave Jen some insight into our adventures surfing in Fiji, skydiving in New Zealand and Skiing around the world, and while we certainly omitted some stories, there was a common theme of Jonny being a leader and staple of the group. Living together on the road for all those years you think you know a person, but Tara provided us a little Jonny fact that would have been great ammo for those long van rides… Jonny played the tuba. Still trying to picture it in my mind as that would be the last (if any) instrument I could see Jonny boy getting into and I absolutely get why he never brought it up (no offense to any tubists.. tubers.. tubisters?).

    All in all, a great day. We now turn back to the other side of our Foundation’s mission - Supporting the development of Canadian ski coaches - and will keep you updated on those initiatives.

    Cheers to Jonny Boy, love to you all.

    Some highlights of Sunnybrook’s Odette Cancer Centre:

    ⁃ In 2020-22, the Centre had nearly 159,000 outpatient visits, more than 52,000 chemotherapy visits, and around 500,000 radiation visits.

    ⁃ First hospital in Canada to offer a trio of highly specialized cancer ablation therapy machines that are changing the way they target tumors and enabling them to provide precision care to more patients.

    ⁃ 99 high impact publications from their researchers in 2021.