Giving Back, Day by Day

For decades, Seanna Collins has been a familiar face and voice in Edmonton’s media and charitable scene. She’s interviewed countless community leaders over the years. One conversation while hosting Day by Day, CFRN TV’s daytime lifestyle show in the early ’90s,
really stayed with her. “I had the pleasure of interviewing Robert Stollery and John Poole. They had just helped establish Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF),” Collins recalls.

“They were passionate, down-to-earth, and driven to make a difference. That interview planted a seed. My husband and I decided to set up an ECF endowment fund — one that will support the many causes we care about.”

Collins began her fund planning with Kathy Hawkesworth, ECF’s former Director of Donor Services, and now works with Philanthropy Advisor Lisa Dayanandan. The smooth transition has reinforced her trust in ECF’s lasting stewardship. “Working with Kathy and now Lisa, you can come in with a plan in mind, and there are people at the Foundation who will help make your dreams come true,” she says. ECF’s grant process ensures accountability and honours donor intent, which Collins, a detail-driven professional, appreciates.“I want to know our money is going where it’s supposed to,” she says. “With ECF, I don’t have to worry — there’s no stress.”

Collins’s decision to work with ECF was guided by empathy for those who will manage her estate. Initially, she listed dozens of individual charities in her will but later updated her fund agreement to simplify the process. “I didn’t want my executor to have to write 50 cheques to 50 different charities,” she says. “With ECF, it’s one cheque — and the Foundation takes care of the rest. That’s peace of mind.” Collins also gives back by emceeing fundraisers, collecting donations for women and children, and volunteering
with Dogs with Wings Assistance Dog Society — where she boards dogs in training as service animals, as well as sitting on the organization’s board.“This city has given me so much,” she says.

“Along with my husband, this is our way of giving back to the place that’s been our home for so many years.”

Reflecting on her journey, Collins says estate planning through ECF has brought clarity and calm. “It makes me so happy to know that long after my husband and I are gone, our fund will continue to grow and make a difference. That’s the legacy we are very proud to leave.”

This story comes from the Fall 2025 Edition of Thrive Magazine.

Read the full issue.