The Vulcan County Health & Wellness Foundation is honoured to announce an extraordinary gift of $500,000 from Sunny Glen Farms Ltd., made at the direction of lifelong Vulcan area resident Cyril F. “Cy” Rebalkin.

This remarkable gift reflects one man’s gratitude for the care he received, his belief in the importance of rural healthcare, and his desire to give back to the community he proudly called home.

The following tribute has been shared by the Rebalkin family.

A Legacy Rooted in Farming, Community and Care

Cyril F. “Cy” Rebalkin was a lifelong farmer, entrepreneur and proud resident of the Vulcan area. Born in Vulcan, Alberta, in 1939, he came from humble beginnings in a family that homesteaded in Vulcan County. Through more than 70 years of determination, hard work and dedication to agriculture, he built Sunny Glen Farms into a strong and respected farming operation.

Cy’s success was rooted in practical knowledge, resourcefulness and a willingness to adapt. Farming was far more than his occupation; it was his passion, his identity and his life’s work. He also understood that a thriving rural community depends on strong local services, trusted professionals and neighbours who look after one another.

During the last decade of his life, Cy faced several health challenges and received exemplary care from the doctors, nurses and staff at the Vulcan Community Health Centre and local medical clinic. Their skill, compassion and dedication allowed both him and his life partner, Minota Webster, to manage their health while maintaining a meaningful quality of life close to home.

Having access to local testing, diagnostic equipment and medical services often meant Cy could receive care without travelling to a major centre. That convenience and reassurance made an important difference to both him and his family.

Cy also recognized the important role of the Vulcan County Health & Wellness Foundation and local volunteers in raising funds for healthcare priorities, including new equipment and expanded services such as mobile ultrasound technology and laboratory improvements.

He believed a strong rural hospital was essential to the well-being and long-term vitality of the community. It provides timely care close to home, supports families during difficult moments and helps healthcare professionals deliver the best service possible.

For these reasons, Cy chose to make a donation through Sunny Glen Farms Ltd. to support the continued work of the Vulcan County Health & Wellness Foundation. His gift reflects his gratitude for the care he received and his desire to help ensure quality rural healthcare remains available for future generations.

On behalf of Sunny Glen Farms Ltd. and the Rebalkin family, thank you to the doctors, nurses and staff whose care meant so much to Cy. His donation is a lasting expression of appreciation for the community he called home and the people who cared for him.

Cy’s gift also fulfills a vision shared by hundreds of people throughout Vulcan County.

In April 2025, the community embarked on an ambitious campaign to raise $300,000 to renovate the Palliative Care Suite at the Vulcan Community Health Centre. Over the following 15 months, residents, businesses, service clubs, volunteers, event participants, memorial donors, and community partners came together in an extraordinary demonstration of grassroots philanthropy, raising approximately $256,000 toward that goal.

With Cy’s gift, the fundraising target required to move the Palliative Care Project forward has now been achieved.

This milestone belongs to the entire community. Over the past 15 months, residents, businesses, service clubs, volunteers, and donors have come together with a shared purpose. Cy’s extraordinary generosity does not overshadow those efforts—it completes them, ensuring this community vision can now move forward.

In keeping with Cy’s wishes, the Vulcan County Health & Wellness Foundation will continue working alongside the community and leadership at the Vulcan Community Health Centre and the Rebalkin family to determine how the remaining funds can best strengthen local healthcare while honouring the intent of his remarkable gift.

Cy never sought recognition for this gift. His family has chosen to share his story because they believe it demonstrates something much larger than one act of generosity. It reflects what is possible when a community recognizes a need, comes together, and chooses to invest in its own future.

In communities like Vulcan County, many of the things we value most are built quietly over time.

Local healthcare and services close to home are strengthened through the care of professionals, the support of volunteers, and the generosity of people who choose to give back. Often, those acts of generosity happen without fanfare — simply because someone believes in their community.

Over the years, many individuals and families have helped shape the health of this community by supporting the Vulcan County Health and Wellness Foundation. Some give during their lifetime. Others choose to leave a gift that continues beyond them.

Jacob “Jake” Den Tuinder made that choice.

Through a legacy gift left in his estate, Jake chose to support the future health and well-being of Vulcan County. His gift now becomes part of the many contributions that help ensure care remains here for neighbours, families, and generations to come.

There is something meaningful about gifts like these. They speak not only to generosity, but to trust, trust in the future, and trust that caring for community matters.

In Canada, legacy giving offers a thoughtful way to support the causes that have meaning in your life. Many people choose to leave a portion of their estate, often the most heavily taxed portion, to a charitable organization. In doing so, they may reduce the overall tax burden on their estate while still ensuring loved ones are cared for according to their wishes.

When those gifts remain local, their impact is deeply felt. They help sustain healthcare services, improve access to care, and strengthen the well-being of the community as a whole.

Jake’s gift is now part of that continuing story.

We are grateful for his thoughtfulness and for all those whose generosity helps keep care close to home. Jake’s Obituary.

If you would like to learn more about leaving a legacy gift that supports local health and wellness, please contact us:

📞 403-485-4001
📧vchw.foundation@gmail.com