An estate gift of more than $240,000 to the BC Interior Community Foundation will provide lasting support for military personnel, veterans, first responders and their families through Honour Ranch.
A generous gift from the late Vivian Hildebrand will help support those who have dedicated their lives to serving and protecting others.
Following Vivian’s passing on September 7, 2026, the BC Interior Community Foundation received an estate gift of more than $240,000 for the Vivian Hildebrand Honour Ranch Wellness Fund, an endowed fund she established in 2025.
The fund supports Honour Ranch, a wellness and recovery centre near Ashcroft that provides programs for Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans, emergency services personnel and their families experiencing operational stress injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression.
For Vivian, the decision to support Honour Ranch was deeply personal.
Her grandfather and uncles served in the British Armed Forces, while her brothers served in the Canadian Armed Forces during both wartime and peacetime. She understood the sacrifices made by those who serve, and the challenges they and their families can face long after their service has ended.
Honour Ranch also held a special connection to Vivian’s own history. She spent part of her youth in Ashcroft, attending high school while her parents owned and operated the Ashcroft Hotel.
Supporting an organization that cares for military personnel, veterans and first responders in a community that had once been home brought together two things close to her heart: family and service to others.
Set on 160 acres of rolling hills overlooking the South Thompson River, Honour Ranch provides a peaceful setting for healing, education, and personal growth. Its programs offer support to those navigating the often-invisible effects of service and trauma.
Vivian’s generosity will continue to make a difference for many years to come. Before her passing, she established an endowed fund, and her estate gift has now been added to it. The money is invested, and a portion of the earnings is used each year to support Honour Ranch. This means that instead of being a one-time donation, Vivian’s gift will continue helping others for generations to come.
“Vivian understood that helping others shouldn’t be limited to our own lifetime,” said Wenda Noonan, Development and Communications Director with the BC Interior Community Foundation. “She had a genuine connection to this cause, and by establishing this fund, she’s ensured that her kindness and generosity will continue to help others for many years to come. That’s a pretty extraordinary legacy.”
Known for her joyful spirit, resilience and remarkable positivity, Vivian believed in meeting life’s challenges with determination, compassion and the support of others. Throughout her life, she put those values into practice through music, volunteering, and generously supporting causes close to her heart.
Now, through the Vivian Hildebrand Honour Ranch Wellness Fund, those same values will continue to make a difference in the lives of people she may never meet.
Vivian spent her life finding ways to help others. Her legacy ensures she will continue doing just that.
For more information about the Vivian Hildebrand Honour Ranch Wellness Fund or leaving a charitable gift through your estate, visit www.bcicf.ca or contact [email protected].