On November 25, 1999, a tragedy occurred that forever changed the lives of Fred and Sandra Koocher.This tragedy resulted in the formation of the Koocher Brothers' Charitable Foundation. Here is their story.

It was a Thursday evening, power skating night for Aaron, age 13.Aaron was an avid hockey player trying to improve his skills attending the program offered in a nearby rink in the town of Hagersville. Sandra, his mom, was driving him this particular night and Devin, age 7, was tagging along. They all loaded in the car,
Aaron in the front seat, Devin in the back passenger seat, hockey gear in tow. They headed south on Highway 6, the radio was playing the tune by Eiffel 65, "Blue" and the boys were singing along, it was one of their favourite songs. Up ahead in the distance Sandra could see an oncoming car that appeared to be in the wrong lane. In a matter of seconds, Sandra realized he was heading straight for her. The vehicles collided head on, causing both cars to flip and roll across the
highway. The end result was tragic. Fire fighters and police worked tirelessly to extricate the family from the vehicle. The highway was closed for twelve hours for police investigation. Sandra was taken to hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the other vehicle
was taken to hospital with non- life threatening injuries.

A family was destroyed in a matter of seconds. Why? The police investigation that followed revealed the reason. A DRUNK DRIVER. With more than two times the legal amount of alcohol in his blood stream (eight or nine beers) he left a local bar and proceeded down a
major highway. He made a choice, a choice that ultimately took the lives of two young brothers. The court case that followed was complicated and emotionally exhausting. The result was a jail term of
3 years and a driving licence suspension of 6 years. A short sentence considering the magnitude of the loss!

The family, friends and small community of Caledonia were stunned and shocked by the news. Cards of sympathy and phone calls poured in from all over. A trust fund was set up in memory of Aaron and Devin at a local Credit Union, the generosity was over whelming. The public school where the boys attended honoured them with a memorial service and a park bench over looking the river. Each year the students
contribute to the garden planted around the bench in their memory. The minor hockey organization has displayed their team jerseys in the foyer of the rink. Each boy has an annual hockey tournament named in
their honour. A golf tournament is held in April of each year with proceeds going into the fund. Aaron and Devin will never be forgotten!

The trust fund was established in 1999 and continued to grow. It was Fred and Sandra Koochers' desire that this money be used to benefit the youth in Caledonia. Donations were made in a variety of areas ( see Proceeds page) and it was soon clear it was time to set up an official foundation. Government application was made and the KOOCHER BROTHERS' CHARITABLE FOUNDATION was approved in 2003. The objective of this fund is to provide funding for underprivileged youth so they may participate in enriching youth programs and to providing funding for projects that benefit youth in the community. Donations and proceeds from the annual golf tournament are returned back to the community of Caledonia through this foundation.

Along with developing the foundation, Fred and Sandra are playing an active role in generating the awareness of drinking and driving. Fred has spoken a number of times at local high schools in conjunction with OPP presentations. He has been invited to local radio and
television talk shows to share his story. They are working with "Operation Lookout," a newly formed group raising citizens awareness to those who drink and drive. Both Fred and Sandra have participated in the Ontario Office for Victims of Crime conferences held
in Toronto, telling their story and sharing their experiences. To this day, the pain of losing their only two children is still great but they know Aaron and Devin's memories will live on through the foundation.