Fund Facts: Skillicorn-Melanchuk Bursaries

Carrie Skillicorn and Ruth Melanchuk were sisters. Carrie started her career in the Military and upon retirement worked as a sales clerk at Eaton’s department store in Abbotsford.

Ruth Melanchuk married young, had two boys and became a homemaker. Both sons were interested in the arts and the youngest was musically inclined.

Carrie was the recipient of Ruth’s estate and contacted her friend Bill Walker to start a fund with the Mission Community Foundation. The Skillicorn-Melanchuk Bursary was created in 2001 to provide bursaries for students pursuing post-secondary education in arts and music.

After her death in 2003, Doreen Phelps, acting as executor of Carrie Skillicorn’s estate, approached the Mission Community Foundation to start a new fund in Carrie’s name. The Carrie Skillicorn Fund was also created as a Bursary for post-secondary education in business.

In February 2019 the Mission Community Foundation received instructions to combine the two bursaries into one. This combined Bursary is available to graduating Mission students pursuing post-secondary training in Music, Arts and Business Administration.

Since 2003 this fund has helped 21 students with a total of $13,500 in scholarships. If you would like to help a student study music, arts or business administration, donate today!