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NTCF present Barriere student with bursary cheque

Chad Copley recevied $1,000 cheque from the Donnie Nicholson Memorial Trades Bursary
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Antoun Houben (left), director of NTCF and Franz Friesinger, NTCF chair, present Chad Copley with a cheque of $1,000 from the Donnie Nicholson Memorial Trades Bursary. Copley is currently a student at BCIT completing a program to become a Trades and Technology Educator. (Submitted photo)

In 2014, board members of the North Thompson Communities Foundation came together with Jo-Ann Kivari, Donnie Nicholson’s mother, in creating a lasting bursary for students wishing to go into the trades.

Kivari was there to officially present $5,050 that had been raised by Nicholson’s friends and family to create the bursary in his name.

The NTCF was there to accept the funds and matched them totalling a bursary fund of $10,100 at the time.

Related: NTCF hold annual barbecue to celebrate giving

For the first time, 2019 has seen the Donnie Nicholson Memorial Trades Bursary awarded.

The successful recipient is Chant Copley of Barriere, who is presently attending BCIT and working towards completing a new and very unique program to become a Trades and Technology Educator.

Donnie Nicholson Obituary, originally posted Jan. 25, 2013.

March 1, 1988 - January 25, 2013

Donnie Nicholson was born in McBride, BC on March 1, 1988 to his mother, Jo’Ann Kivari, and his father, Don Nichsolson. He passed away suddenly on January 25, 2013.. He leaves behind his parents and sister, as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, and numerous friends.

He had one sister, Lindsay. The family relocated to the coast from McBride, eventually ending up in Barriere when Donnie was only two and a half years old.

Don was always outgoing and happy during his life; rarely was he seen without a smile. He got along well with everyone he met and made numerous friends along the way. He was very smart, graduating at the top of his class from Barriere Secondary in 2005. In his last year of high school, he made it onto the principal’s list for having a report card of straight A’s. He quickly became enrolled at the Kamloops University, taking a course in plumbing. Once he obtained all of his qualifications, Donnie worked installing fire sprinkler systems out of Salmon Arm, BC, where he resided for a few years.

Not long after, Donnie was recognized for his great potential in the industry, and acquired numerous jobs in BC, Alberta, and the Yukon, as a certified journeyman pipe fitter.

At 23 years old, Donnie started his own company under the name of D-Nix Contracting LTD. He was working as a general forman for the last few months, making wages that most of us could only dream of. He worked his way to the top of the ladder, because he was mature, responsible and smart. It was during this time that he resided in a few small towns on the outskirts of Calgary, before finally moving to a city he loved, Airdrie, Alberta.

Apart from being a happy, confident and hardworking man, Donnie was also extremely talented. He got his first drum set and guitar when he was 12 years old and never looked back on his love for music. Playing guitar was his favourite passtime and it was a joy to hear him play it. Donnie also took a liking to piano, and he was quite good at that, too.

Don excelled and put 100 percent into everything he ever did. His schooling, his company, his jobs, absolutely everything was done tremendously well. He was unbelievably talented.

Donnie was extremely loyal to his family and friends. He liked to help people and he liked to give. he was caring and thoughtful. He truly was one in a million. He loved life and loved the people in it. There wasn’t a lot of people that he didn’t get along with, he had no enemies.

In the last few months of his life, Donnie was planning on buying a house in Airdrie, Alberta. He was working towards a prosperous future and he was so close. The accomplishments he had were that of a man in his 40’s. Unfortunately, Donnie was taken from his loved ones much too soon, at the age of 24. He will be dearly missed by so many people.



stephanie.hagenaars@starjournal.net

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