DONOR PROFILES
A LITTLE PIECE OF MY SOUL Denys Heward ’64 recalls his father saying, “You’ve got one life; make the most of it. But make sure you give back.” He’s done that and more.
As
a student, Denys struggled. Undiagnosed learning difficulties made expressing his ideas challenging. “I knew I wasn’t stupid, but I couldn’t score.” The school never gave up on him. “I needed one person to believe in me… and it saved my life.” Things got more complicated in grade 10 when his father became ill and contemplated withdrawing him for financial reasons. Dr. Stephen Penton, the headmaster, wouldn’t hear of it and made it possible for him to remain at the school. Denys graduated from university with honours. Years later, he learned Dr. Penton had provided an unconditional, brutally honest recommendation. LCC trusted in him, giving him the courage to succeed. He started giving back right after graduation. His mentor, Headmaster Geoff Merrill, hired him to teach at the school. “It takes a special person to unlock the key to learning,” he told me. “You need to have faith in students. And compassion.” Denys went on to change kids’ lives for 35 years. Giving back didn’t stop there. He wrote The Bugle Sounded One Note about his teaching experiences and donated the proceeds to support bursaries. He has volunteered countless hours. And now he and his wife Lyn have donated $200,000 to give deserving students without the financial means an LCC opportunity of a lifetime. “This award completes my lifelong dream,” Denys explained in a letter to his children. “I have long had a dream of being able to give back something tangible. Maybe even a little piece of my soul.” The Denys ’64 and Lyn Heward Award will cover 40% of tuition, but Denys dreams of providing more support. He welcomes alumni to join him and donate to the fund. It’s an opportunity to share in his passion for knowledge, teaching, and giving back. PATRICK PEOTTO Former LCC Assistant Head
Left DENYS HEWARD ’64
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