Chad Johnstone Memorial Fund
Upon the sudden, tragic loss of beloved husband Chad Johnstone, Marla Holdstock turned grief into a heartfelt gift to students at Olds College, where both she and Chad had attended as students.
“Chad was passionate about ensuring there are well educated individuals in the farrier industry,” explains Marla, “Olds College is the place where students not only learn and experience Farrier Science, but they also learn how to run a successful business.”
The Chad Johnstone Memorial Farrier Scholarship was initiated by Holdstock to continue the legacy of professional farriers like Chad, at a grassroots level to help make it easier for students at Olds College to successfully achieve their future goals in the farrier industry.
When Marla started the process of becoming a scholarship donor she set out with a goal to reach several students over a five-year period.
Impact
The scholarship will benefit students in the Farrier Science program with preference given to a student from Saskatchewan and proficiency in the field of study.
The desire to financially assist students at Olds College quickly turned into a far greater venture when Holdstock accepted donations from family and friends of Chad at a barbeque held by South Country Equipment. The Weyburn Agricultural Society then hosted the inaugural Chad Johnstone Memorial Farrier Contest and fundraising auction. The auction allowed Marla to turn the annual gift into an endowment which will continue to assist farrier students at Olds College in pursuing their passion for years to come. Within a short eight months, Marla’s gift in memory of her husband surpassed her $20,000.00 combined goal for contributions to the scholarship.
A special thanks to Marla Holdstock, friends, family and colleagues of Chad Johnstone for establishing a legacy in Chad Johnstone through a scholarship at Olds College, while honoring the memory of the man they will dearly miss.