by Debra M Van Ginkel, QC

“Without the Benevolent Society, I would be lost. Instead, aid from the Benevolent Society has allowed me to live with dignity and security of my person. In addition, the knowledge that I am cared for makes me feel less alone and afraid”

The CBA (BC) Benevolent Society provides financial assistance to lawyers and their families who have suffered a tragedy in their lives. In almost all of the cases where the Society is approached to provide financial assistance, the recipient’s circumstances are among the most difficult that one will ever encounter. These circumstances are always tragic and may involve the death of a lawyer who had no life insurance and whose family was dependent upon him or her, a disabling illness, such as a brain aneurysm, drug or alcohol addiction, depression or other dire medical circumstances. The Society is a last resort for such lawyers or their families, and therefore the assistance that is provided is invaluable.

The Society currently has a capital fund of $957,763, of which $882,905 was initially received in 1997 and 1998 from the members of the B.C. Bar, who each contributed $100.00 per member over the two-year period. The Constitution of the Society provides that only the income or capital gains earned from the capital fund can be used to provide grants and loans to recipients.

Over the years, the Society has made numerous grants to various recipients in need of assistance. Grants totaling approximately $46,000 were made in 2002, $50,000 in 2003, $57,000 in 2004, and $90,000 in 2005. However, the interest from the capital fund is not sufficient to fund the total number of grants that are sought each year. In 2005, the income that was earned from the capital fund was only approximately $33,000.

Through its fund raising efforts, the Society seeks to raise additional money in order to meet these grant requests. The most notable fund-raising effort is the incomparable Battle of the Bar Bands, which has been held in Vancouver in each of the last 4 years, and in 2005, raising a new record of approximately $44,000. Victoria will be hosting its first Annual Battle of the Bar Bands on March 2, 2006 at the Central Bar and Grill in Victoria. Please mark your calendars for this great event!

It is important to note that the Society incurs only minimal administrative costs, including the fees for the annual audit. All 12 members of the Board of Trustees devote their considerable time and energy on a strictly voluntary basis. There are no paid staff running the Society.

We are attempting to create greater awareness of the Benevolent Society and its goals. We need to do so in order to meet the ever-increasing need for our assistance. We do not anticipate that we will have sufficient funding to provide for the increased need that will no doubt accompany a greater awareness, and we therefore anticipate that we will be required to seek further funds from the lawyers of B.C. in the future.

We ask that you consider making a donation or leaving a bequest in your Will to the Society, thereby making an invaluable contribution to members of the Bar who have met with extraordinarily difficult personal circumstances.

Thank you for your continued support of the Benevolent Society. Please contact us at 604-642-5658 if you, any of your colleagues or their families require the assistance of the Benevolent Society.

Debra M. Van Ginkel, QC, Chair CBA (BC) Benevolent Society

This article was published in the February 2006 issue of BarTalk and is subject to the copyright by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association, 2006, all rights reserved.