The Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation (SRCF) is the charitable arm of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of Canada, which has a membership totaling about 20,000 members. Since its inception in 1964, the SRCF has devoted its charitable efforts to supporting research into ‘Puzzles of the Mind’, such as Alzheimer’s, Dyslexia, Autism,Parkinson’s , etc., through Major Research Grants, to the provision of Graduate Bursaries and to the establishment of Learning Centers for Dyslexic Children. Details on these Programs can be found on the SRCF Website: http://srcf.ca
Donations
It is easy to make donations to the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation on line. http://srcf.ca/
It takes less than 5 minutes and you get your tax receipt immediately.
SRCF donates $70,000 to Ottawa Medical Research
The Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation continued its support of research into the “puzzles of the mind” by once again presenting two cheques for $35,000 each to Dr Jing Wang and Dr Baptiste Lacoste at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute on November 6 2018.
Dr Wang’s three year project is investigating memory pathways in Alzheimer’s disease, which has made such progress that she will be publishing her results next year. Dr Lacoste is researching the development of blood vessels in the brain as it relates to Autism, and has made great progress since last year, his research is continuing.
Making the presentation was Ill. Bro Steve Thomson 32° Valley of Ottawa representative for the Foundation, Ill. Bro John Forster 33° member of the Board of Directors of the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation, Ottawa Valley’s active member Ill. Bro Ron Taylor 33° and Ill. Bro Brian Gilkinson 33°, Deputy for Ontario.
The Scottish Rite was well represented at the presentation with Past active Member Ill. Bro Sam Kalinowsky 33°, Ill. Bro. Robert A. Keay, 33° Asst Grand Secretary/Registrar for the Valley of Peterborough and Ill. Bro Ivan Harris 33° as our official photographer.
SRCF Bursary to Carleton University
On August 1, 2018, Stephen Thomson 32 °(Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation Rep for the Valley of Ottawa), accompanied by Dr Samuel Kalinowsky 33° (Past Active) and Ivan Harris 33 °(Honorary Inspector General) presented a $1500 SRCF Bursary to Ms. Ting Ting(Tina) Wang in support of her MSc research at the Department of Neurosciences at Carleton University. Dr Hongyu Sun MD PhD, an Assistant Professor at Carleton University, is her project adviser.
In accepting the Bursary, Tina said ” I am deeply honoured to receive the Award from your esteemed colleagues. It symbolizes to me, the support and encouragement from the community and impactful organizations such as the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation, to conduct quality research that could aid in the development of better therapeutics and improve the quality of life of patients. Receiving the Award greatly motivates me to continue my research in elucidating the mechanisms behind neonatal epilepsy and its co-morbid disorders such as autism.”
Left to Right Dr. Samuel Kalinowsky 33° Past Active Member Valley of Ottawa, Ms. Tina Wang, Steven Thomson 32° SRCF Representative Valley of Ottawa, Dr. Hongyu Sun.
Photos by Illustrious Brother Ivan Harris 33°
SRCF Research Grants Presented
RESEARCH GRANTS PRESENTED: Dr. Baptiste Lacoste and Dr. Jing Wang (centre) were each presented with cheques for $35,000 at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute as the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation continues to support research into the “puzzles of the mind”. Making the presentations Oct. 30 2017 were Ill. Bro. Steven Thomson, 32°, (left) Valley of Ottawa representative for the Foundation, and Ill. Bro. Brian Gilkinson, 33°, Deputy for Ontario. Dr. Wang’s three-year project is investigating memory pathways in Alzheimer’s disease while Dr. Lacoste’s is looking at development of blood vessels in the brain as it relates to autism.
SRCF Donates to Ottawa Research
GRANT PRESENTED: Dr. Jing Wang of the Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa (centre) accepts a cheque for $35,000 from the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation for her work into inhibiting Alzheimer’s disease in aging adults. The Foundation will support the research for three years as part of its effort to solve “the puzzles of the mind” such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in adults and autism and dyslexia in children. Dr. Wang is exploring whether a common diabetes medication, Metformin, can be helpful in improving memory function through reactivation of the neuroregenerative process that may be impaired in Alzheimer’s disease. Making the presentation on behalf of the Scottish Rite is Ill. Bro. Alan Arbuckle (right), Active Member for the Valley of Ottawa, and Ill. Bro. Sam Kalinowsky, a past director of the SRCF. (Ivan Harris photo)
Learning Centres for Dyslexic Children
History: In September, 2003, the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation(SRCF) launched a ‘’pilot project’’ to deliver remedial tutoring to dyslexic children in London, Ontario. The success was so dramatic, leading to the opening of Centres in Windsor(2005), Halifax(2006), Vancouver(2008), Barrie(2009) and Moncton(2010).Additional centres are planned and will be opening shortly in Calgary(2012) and Edmonton. Approval Process: All Learning Centres, those currently in operation as well as any new Centres approved by the Board of the SRCF, must become an incorporated entity, must secure registration under the Income Tax Act as a charitable organization and enter into a License Agreement with the SRCF for the delivery of the Program. Valleys that anticipate the development of a new Centre must file a Formal Application with the Executive Director of the Learning Centre Committee, prior to consideration by the Board of Directors of the SRCF. Under this structure, The SRCF continues ownership of the Program and the exclusive right to make changes as it deems necessary. The License Agreement will make the Program available to Centres for the delivery of remedial tutoring for dyslexic children. It is imperative that the Program be delivered on a consistent basis across Canada. The Agreement will require the Centres to strictly adhere to the Learning Centre Handbook which sets out in great detail all the procedures which must be followed in the delivery of the Program. Benefits: At Learning Centres across Canada, children with learning disabilities related to reading are provided, at ‘’ no charge to the family’’, with one-on-one remedial tutoring, using the highly acclaimed Orton Gillingham method. Through this intervention, children learn to read and to reach their full potential. Families are helped by moderating their frustration, guilt and disruption caused by dyslexia. The community at large benefits through the creation of a cadre of highly skilled tutors who assist in the delivery of the Program. Scottish Rite Masons in the several Valleys derive a great sense of involvement and achievement by volunteering their time in routine operations, by becoming engaged in vital fun-raising initiatives and by creating an important and worthwhile institution in their communities. Scottish Rite Masons and the Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation can and do make a huge difference!! Samuel Kalinowsky 33° Past Active Member, Valley of Ottawa