The University of Windsor’s EPICentre has received a $5000 donation from the Roy Verstraete family to honour the entrepreneurial spirit of their father and mother, Camille and Juliana Verstraete. This is in addition to a previous $2500 donation in March 2015 to support one position annually in the University’s EPIC Founders program.

$2500 will be put towards the EPIC Founders program in honour of Juliana while the additional $2500 support the EPIC Founders program for an award in honour of his father Camille.

The EPIC Founders Program is a 12-week intensive curriculum which takes place through the summer months for students and recent alumni entrepreneurs. Participants learn to form their ideas into businesses, with various business and legal mentors from the community. Participants are paid $6000 during the program period, while working 35 hours a week to fulfill program requirements.

Camille Verstraete emigrated with his parents as a young child from Belgium. He lived his life as a farmer, an entrepreneur and a leader in farming and community organizations such as the Tobacco Board, the Soybean Board and the Kent Belgian Dutch Canadian Club.

From childhood, Camille had a passion for independence and being a farming entrepreneur provided an environment where he could excel. Together, with his wife and five children, they built a successful farming enterprise built on family values, hard work and love.

Juliana Verstraete was an equal partner with her husband in their successful family farming operation located near Blenheim, ON. Juliana and Camille are survived by five children, including previous EPICentre Executive Leader, Roy Verstraete.