The Canadian Christian Education Foundation (CCEF) is a registered, non-profit Canadian charity operated by a volunteer board of directors who also participate in fund raising. The Foundation assists in the development and production of Christian education materials such as textbooks and teachers guides. The foundation was established in 1975 and, thanks to your support, has contributed over two million dollars thus far for the direct benefit of students and teachers in Canada. This is an ongoing process, and these materials cost thousands to produce. The Foundation supports the development of Christian textbooks and teacher guides for the benefit of all CSI (Christian Schools International) Christian schools in Canada.

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

1975   The Canadian Christian Education Foundation, Inc. (C.C.E.F. Inc.) is organized on February 20, 1975, as a non-profit corporation, and being an independent Canadian Corporation, has a full Canadian identity. It stands as a Canadian counterpart to the CSI Foundation in the U.S., providing the same kind of vital funding for Christian curriculum development. Mr. Fred R. Vander Velde is appointed as the first Executive Director and given responsibility for the Foundation’s day-to-day operations, raising funds and promoting Christian education from an office in Burlington, Ontario.         1985   Education rallies are held in two Ontario locations with Dr. Joel Nederhood as the featured speaker.           1987,88, 90 and 95   A total of twenty-four additional rallies to promote Christian education are held in various locations across Canada, (Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario), with Dr. Joel Nederhood and Rev. John D. Hellinga as the featured speakers. By this point there are 25 volunteer directors on CCEF’s board.           2000   For CCEF’s 25th anniversary there is a celebration at Hamilton Place in Hamilton, Ontario, featuring a choir of 1000 Christian school students and other renowned musicians. The board commits another substantial sum to underwrite the production of CSI curriculum materials (student textbooks and teacher guides) for the benefit of children in CSI schools in Canada. By this point in time over $2,000,000 has been invested in the Christian education of children and young people.           2005   Fred VanderVelde dies suddenly in February. The CCEF board moves the CCEF office to Guelph, Ontario and hires Barbara Ferrier to oversee the office operations.           2008   Barbara Ferrier becomes CCEF’s second Executive Director.

IN MEMORIAM

Fred R. Vander Velde became the first executive director of the Canadian Christian Education Foundation (CCEF) in 1975 and remained in that position until his death in February of 2005. Over the span of those 30 years the foundation raised some $2.5 million for Christian textbooks and learning materials. These funds helped CSI to publish textbooks and teacher guides for Bible, science, health, literature, spelling, physical education, and other subjects. Fred immigrated with his parents, eight sisters, and two brothers from the Netherlands to Canada in 1948. He attended Reformed Bible College in Grand Rapids, MI, and married Audrey in 1965. Fred worked as an exhibit coordinator at the Canadian National Exhibition for several years, after which he became executive director of CCEF. Fred Vander Velde was a champion of Christian education. His legacy lives on in hundreds of Christian school classrooms, where students learn about God's world in textbooks that have a clear, biblical perspective.