OHTF creates the Neil Vanderkruk Innovation & Scholarship Fund
November 2, 2021 - Landscape Ontario: When the Golden Horseshoe Chapter of Landscape Ontario began to organize an apprenticeship program for the region, they needed a space to host students. Fortunately, Neil Vanderkruk, namesake of NVK Nurseries, didn’t hesitate. He built a classroom on his property, and hosted the inaugural apprenticeship program.
“Neil was a special guy, he was running one of the biggest nurseries in Canada, and he took his volunteer job at the association so seriously,” said Tony DiGiovanni, executive director of Landscape Ontario and director of the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation (OHTF). “He just put all of his time in. It was amazing to watch his commitment to it.”
Building the classrooms is just one of many examples of why Vanderkruk was well-known as a mentor and champion of Ontario’s horticulture and landscape professions. Although he passed away in November 2020, his name will continue to contribute to the education of future generations of the industries he loved.
The Foundation has created the Neil Vanderkruk Innovation & Scholarship Fund, which has the mandate to support initiatives “that contribute to a prosperous future for Ontario’s landscape and horticultural sector.” The fund will support research grants, post-secondary scholarships and internships at industry and research institutions.