DAVE VACHON’S LEGACY LIVES ON

May 11, 2021 (Belleville, ON) Over a career long-spent as an editor at the Intelligencer Newspaper, Dave Vachon -or Rogie as he was known to friends – was rarely in the public eye; writers and photographers filled that role, and their byline or photo credits told us so. But Dave read every word they wrote. He was the guy who made front pages ‘sing’ – especially when highlighting the work of agencies such as United Way Hastings & Prince Edward, Habitat for Humanity or Gleaners Food Bank.

He had a keen eye for the needs of our community and, when it was clear Dave was facing a life-threatening illness – brain cancer – he wanted to ensure he left a legacy of support for a community he loved. “Dave didn’t have family and decided everything in his estate should go to charity and friends; United Way HPE, Gleaners Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity have received generous gifts that will support his community in a time of unprecedented need” explained Chris Malette, Dave’s friend, colleague and estate executor. An insurance policy named the three organizations as beneficiaries, sharing almost $53,000.

Susanne Quinlan, executive director of the local food bank remembers Dave well. “Dave Vachon was always very supportive & caring about our mission to serve our community members in need.”

Legacy giving will not diminish what a person leaves to their children or loved ones – with Canada’s tax regulations, a person can give money to a charity that would otherwise go to Canada Revenue Agency in taxes. It creates the opportunity to make a gift in your will to a cause you believe in – something Dave Vachon knew well.

“Legacy gifts are very personal” says Brandi Hodge, executive director of United Way Hastings & Prince Edward, “some people choose to assist in the fight against a particular disease, or to say a generous thank you for the care they received during an illness; others choose to honor the way they lived and celebrate the values that guided them in their life. This is what Dave did; he cared for his friends and neighbours and he chose to support the community he loved and called home. We’re humbled by that.”

“For Habitat PEH to be selected by Dave as one of his charities of choice among so many necessary and important causes is a real honour. Though he was a man of few spoken words, his compassion and commitment for our community was always evident in the attention he gave in his stories. It will be our commitment in kind to ensure the legacy of his life is woven into the bricks and mortar of our mission to support families with a hand up at a time when housing is such a critical need here” Jill Raycroft, Board Chair, Habitat For Humanity Prince Edward-Hastings.

“Dave wasn’t well-known in the community, by choice, but through his caring nature, and his love for Belleville and the people in the city who are most deserving, his generous gifts will ensure he will not be soon forgotten” states Malette, “this would have made him smile”.