Flato donating $1.2 million to Fleming College

DAN CEARNS, The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: Several dignitaries were at Fleming College’s Frost Campus in Lindsay, on Thursday, April 21st, for the announcement of a significant donation from FLATO Developments.

The housing development company is pledging $1.2 million to the local college. Those in attendance for the announcement included: Ontario Premier Doug Ford, MPP Laurie Scott, Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham and Flato President Shakir Rehmatullah.

According to a Fleming College press release, $720,000 will be put towards a new fund for new equipment, and the remaining $480,000 will be “used to create the FLATO Student Scholars Program.”

“Over the next ten years, several hundred students will receive scholarships and become FLATO Scholars. This program will be offered to incoming students to Fleming’s Frost Campus, and [will] enhance our students’ experience. This is a crucial investment in student life at Fleming, as scholarships have become more important than ever, as our students struggle to overcome the economic impact of the pandemic,” the press release stated.

Mr. Rehmatullah feels this donation was the right thing for the company to do for the community.

“This is our corporate mandate. This is not a favour we are doing for any of the institutions,” he said. “This is our responsibility, and this should be every corporation’s responsibility: to do the right things in the community.”

Mayor Letham saw this donation as a victory for all generations of residents and students. “Anytime we’re investing in education, we’re investing in our younger generation, we’re investing in our future. When partners come into our community, and they make donations like you are going to hear about today, we all win. Future generations win, [and] we win today,” he said.

Premier Ford stressed the importance of education in the province. “Education is so important. It’s something nobody can ever take from you. You can join a company, and they may get rid of you or fire you, but nobody can take your education away. You’ll have that skill-set forever.”

Fleming College also announced, they’ve renamed the main foyer at the Frost campus as ‘The Shakir Rehmatullah Atrium.’

#FlemingCollege #KawarthaLakes