About the Foundation

After Marilyn Chan and Mark Seltzer's tragic deaths in July 1998, their families and friends wished to do something in their memory which would reflect the way Mark and Marilyn helped others less fortunate than themselves. Since Marilyn and Mark had visited the Arctic several times and loved the area and its people, a decision was made to set up a foundation in their honour.

The Seltzer-Chan Pond Inlet Foundation aims to help the community of Pond Inlet by:

  • helping to preserve Inuit traditions, culture and language
  • assisting Inuit students with education or training programs
  • relieving poverty

The Seltzer-Chan Pond Inlet Foundation is a registered Canadian charity (# 87321 3276 RR0001) administered entirely by volunteers in Pond Inlet and Toronto. A volunteer in Pond Inlet coordinates the application procedure by creating posters and radio announcements in Inuktitut, collecting grant applications, and convening meetings of the community committee representatives. The committee in Pond Inlet reviews grant applications and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors administers the fund from Toronto and communicates with Foundation supporters.

Our Registered Charity Information Returns can be viewed on the Canada Revenue Agency website. These returns confirm that 100% of donations received are used to support our awards program.

Qujannamiiraaluk! [really big thank you!]

Much of the onerous work of establishing the foundation was taken on by George Bihus who drafted the incorporation application, by-laws, letters patent and registration for charitable income tax status and coordinated with government agencies until official charitable status was granted in 1999. We will always be extremely grateful to George for his competent handling of this process, for creating the foundation website and for his continued involvement handling the day-to-day financial transactions for the foundation.

Many individuals in Pond Inlet have devoted time and energy to the foundation over the years. We would like to acknowledge and thank everyone who has served on the committee in Pond and the many community members who have raised awareness about the foundation and helped the projects we have funded to succeed. We are particularly grateful to the people who have chaired the committee in Pond Inlet at various points over the years and whose names are noted in bold in the following alphabetical list.

  • Seepoorah Allooloo
  • Terri-Lynn Chiblow
  • Mike Demaio
  • Helen Ferrigan
  • Brady Fischer
  • Karen Gallagher
  • Jason Hatt
  • Joshua Idlout
  • Nymon Killiktee
  • Apphia Killiktee
  • Lorna Ootova Kilukishak
  • Domina Quasa Koonark
  • George Koonoo
  • Joseph Koonoo Sr.
  • Mary Krimmerdjuar
  • Abraham Kublu
  • Julia Landry
  • Israel Mablick
  • Kelly MacDonald
  • Peter McBreairty
  • Monica Milton
  • Karen Nutarak
  • Phepelie Ootook
  • Philippa Ootoowak
  • David Parks
  • Trudy Pettigrew
  • Meeka Qamaniq
  • Lucy Quassa
  • Caleb Sangoya
  • Colin Saunders
  • Anisa Suno-Parks
  • Tess Thurbert
  • Stuart van Oostveen

 

© 2024 The Seltzer-Chan Pond Inlet Foundation.