Bill grew up in a family of 7 siblings and was always taught to help others as a matter of course. His career in farming helped to fuel that sense of community. Working at the university he learned to value the experience and understanding that education brings. Through his years as the Executive Director at the Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association, he could see the impact 4H was able to make on the leaders of tomorrow.
The annual income from this fund is forwarded to the 4H Council for use in its student awards programs. Bill has been supporting the 4H Council with an endowment for many years. The William (Bill) Cooper Entrepreneurship Student Award was established at the Saskatoon Community Foundation to complement the original fund.
All the funds aim to support the next generation of leaders. Bill believes in the influence 4H can have and how important it is to be community-minded and to take action. Funding these beliefs was always part of Bill’s plan, but he moved from a will bequest to be within his lifetime when it became advantageous from a tax perspective to donate securities. Mr. Cooper says he is very happy with this decision because now he can enjoy the giving process and see his philanthropy at work.