Deceased students honoured with memorial fund

By Lawrence Bailey

In the aftermath of a tragic September evening, the spirit of two brilliant lives cut short shines on.


Brian Collins and Joah Atkinson, a pair of University of Calgary students killed in a vehicle-pedestrian accident north of campus on Sept. 30, will long be remembered in the hearts and minds of their friends and family, as well as through the Brian Collins and Joah Atkinson Memorial Fund.


The scholarship was established immediately following their untimely deaths, spearheaded by the pair’s friend Blake Chalmers.


“The day after the accident, there were a bunch of us trying to figure out a good way to honour their memories,” Chalmers explained. “We decided on a scholarship to commemorate their lasting contributions to the university and to honour the passion and love they had for the game [of rugby].”


The next day, Chalmers was on the phone with local banks, hoping to set up the proper accounts to get the scholarship underway. Unfortunately, the banks were not as accommodating as Chalmers had hoped, however, they did direct him to the Development Office at the U of C.


“The U of C has been absolutely phenomenal with setting the program up,” beamed Chalmers.


Thus far, the fund has received over $16,000 in donations, a total that is growing weekly.


“It’s sad to say that money reflects people, but it just goes to show how much respect there is for these two,” said Chalmers. “We’ve had donations come in from Nova Scotia to White Rock, B.C.”


The criteria for the scholarship is based on outstanding citizenship and involvement with the U of C Rugby Club.

Donations or inquiries should be directed to the U of C Development Office at 220-5854.