The McDonald family loves community and our region. Whether it’s taking advantage of the remarkable trails and greenspace with a family hike, camping or skiing in the nearby mountains or visiting with family and friends, the McDonalds call Grande Prairie home.
When asked about the importance of community the McDonald family, Sandy and Luana and their kids Alex and Olivia, emphasizes the fact that each member of their family has benefited from calling this community their home.
As the Superintendent of the Grande Prairie School District, Sandy McDonald has dedicated his career to educating and supporting local youth as they become the community leaders of tomorrow.
There are a number of causes that are important to the McDonald’s, but support the learning and development of young children is a cause that is important to their family but the community as a whole. The value of early childhood education is enormous, not only to children entering the school system, but as a strong foundation for a healthy community.
The phrase “the children are our future” is true, and speaks to the family’s motivation for giving back.
Sandy and Luana explain, “As we watch our children grow from curious and active toddlers into kind, empathetic and respectful adults, Luana and I understand how fortunate our family was to be able to support their early learning. We recognize that not everyone has the same opportunities that we had to provide a breadth of early learning opportunities to their children. The purpose of our fund is to support local charities to help provide these opportunities to children and families who can use a bit of extra support. “
As a way to show their appreciation for all that the community has given to them, the family established the Sandy and Luana McDonald Family Fund, an endowment fund held at the Community Foundation of Northwestern Alberta. The field of interest fund is dedicated to supporting projects and programs focused on the development of children from birth to age five to be ready for kindergarten.
The Sandy and Luana McDonald Family Fund is the continuation of their family legacy in our region and this family commitment to giving back will contribute to the development of smart and caring communities throughout our region, for today and forever.
