OUR TEAM
OUR TEAM
We are governed by a Board of Directors. The Board is assisted by three staff members Cathy, January and Shann.
We are governed by a Board of Directors. The Board is assisted by three staff members Cathy, January and Shann.
STAFF
STAFF
BOARD
BOARD
Lois Wyndham
Lois Wyndham
President
President
Lois is a retired librarian; she spent most of her career managing small specialized libraries in such diverse areas as fisheries research, rubber and plastics, steel and most recently health care. She participated actively in the Special Libraries Association, the Medical Libraries Association and is a former President and Life Member of the Canadian Health Libraries Association. Lois has always been fascinated by textiles, particularly their history and contributions to cultural development. She is a Master Weaver, a spinner, knitter, sewer and quilter. With her husband Lois especially enjoys sailing Georgian Bay, cottaging, travelling to interesting parts of the world and trying to keep their herb and perennial gardens growing.
Lois is a retired librarian; she spent most of her career managing small specialized libraries in such diverse areas as fisheries research, rubber and plastics, steel and most recently health care. She participated actively in the Special Libraries Association, the Medical Libraries Association and is a former President and Life Member of the Canadian Health Libraries Association. Lois has always been fascinated by textiles, particularly their history and contributions to cultural development. She is a Master Weaver, a spinner, knitter, sewer and quilter. With her husband Lois especially enjoys sailing Georgian Bay, cottaging, travelling to interesting parts of the world and trying to keep their herb and perennial gardens growing.
Marg Patterson
Marg Patterson
Secretary
Secretary
Marg has been a snowmobiler since she retired from Bell Canada. Every year, as a member of the Bass Lake Snowmobile Club, she has taken part in the Snowmobile Ride for Literacy. She was always impressed with the hard work that the ODLC did for this event and thought that maybe she could help too. Marg is also a member of the Alzheimer’s Society and the Women’s Institute, whose main functions are helping in the community, so why not help in this much needed community volunteer organization.
Marg has been a snowmobiler since she retired from Bell Canada. Every year, as a member of the Bass Lake Snowmobile Club, she has taken part in the Snowmobile Ride for Literacy. She was always impressed with the hard work that the ODLC did for this event and thought that maybe she could help too. Marg is also a member of the Alzheimer’s Society and the Women’s Institute, whose main functions are helping in the community, so why not help in this much needed community volunteer organization.
Debbie Shaw
Debbie Shaw
Vice Chair
Vice Chair
Debbie is a trained social worker and has been retired from a 34 year career in Child Protection for almost 10 years. She has enjoyed an active retirement, working for Statistics Canada for one year and part-time for 5 years with a private foster care agency, Key Assets, in Mississauga. In fact, she continues to complete foster home assessments for that agency on a contractual basis. Many of the children she has worked with over the years have faced learning issues on into adulthood and, hence, she is greatly interested in the work the Orillia Literacy Council does and knows that there are many people who can benefit from the services the agency offers. As a mother of two daughters and “Nana” to 6 grandchildren, she understands how difficult it must be for a parent who experiences literacy challenges when called upon to help her children/grandchildren and is unable to do so.
Debbie is a trained social worker and has been retired from a 34 year career in Child Protection for almost 10 years. She has enjoyed an active retirement, working for Statistics Canada for one year and part-time for 5 years with a private foster care agency, Key Assets, in Mississauga. In fact, she continues to complete foster home assessments for that agency on a contractual basis. Many of the children she has worked with over the years have faced learning issues on into adulthood and, hence, she is greatly interested in the work the Orillia Literacy Council does and knows that there are many people who can benefit from the services the agency offers. As a mother of two daughters and “Nana” to 6 grandchildren, she understands how difficult it must be for a parent who experiences literacy challenges when called upon to help her children/grandchildren and is unable to do so.
Tim Carrigan
Tim Carrigan
Director
Director
Tim's interest in ODLC stems from his 27 years in the educational field as a teacher, counsellor and support worker. Although semi-retired, he still has the desire to use his skills, abilities and background to help others. Presently, Tim volunteers and tutors at the ODLC. Offering his services to a worthwhile organization allows Tim to keep growing and learning as well as continuing to use his skill sets in whatever areas he can. Tim's education took him around the world teaching ESL in other countries and he gained valuable knowledge of other cultures and their process for learning. The one thing that stood out for him in this experience was that all students, young or old, are pretty much the same no matter where you are in the world. They all have an innate desire to learn and improve themselves. As a father of 2 teenagers, Tim continues to offer support to their learning where needed, especially during the pandemic. Tim' fitness minded family takes advantage of the walking & biking trails in Orillia. They feel that physical activity and learning go hand in hand as the mind and body have a way of balancing out each other. One of Tim's pleasurable duties as a father was reading bedtime stories to his kids. A process he hopes they pass down to their kids some day and instill in them and others the desire they grew up having for reading and learning.
Tim's interest in ODLC stems from his 27 years in the educational field as a teacher, counsellor and support worker. Although semi-retired, he still has the desire to use his skills, abilities and background to help others. Presently, Tim volunteers and tutors at the ODLC. Offering his services to a worthwhile organization allows Tim to keep growing and learning as well as continuing to use his skill sets in whatever areas he can. Tim's education took him around the world teaching ESL in other countries and he gained valuable knowledge of other cultures and their process for learning. The one thing that stood out for him in this experience was that all students, young or old, are pretty much the same no matter where you are in the world. They all have an innate desire to learn and improve themselves. As a father of 2 teenagers, Tim continues to offer support to their learning where needed, especially during the pandemic. Tim' fitness minded family takes advantage of the walking & biking trails in Orillia. They feel that physical activity and learning go hand in hand as the mind and body have a way of balancing out each other. One of Tim's pleasurable duties as a father was reading bedtime stories to his kids. A process he hopes they pass down to their kids some day and instill in them and others the desire they grew up having for reading and learning.
Don Ross
Don Ross
Director
Director
J. Donaldson Ross is a graduate of McMaster and MA of Environmental Studies from York University. He was public policy and strategic planner in the Ministry of Natural Resources until moving from Toronto to Orillia where he started a successful independent bookstore. While in Orillia, Don has been the founder in 1992 and three times chair of the Orillia Museum of Art and History, chair of the Orillia Heritage Committee, and the Orillia Hall of Fame; board member of the Mayor’s University Task Force to bring the satellite campus of Lakehead University to Orillia, and the Orillia Cultural Arts Centre. Don relishes a good novel, especially Canadian, Irish and Spanish, but mostly reads history of Champlain, the French Regime, Upper Canada and Scotland. He is also an antiquarian book collector, avid gardener and relentless genealogist. He is married to Evelyn Ross and lives in an 1885 Second Empire home, with two sons- engineer Cameron in Montreal, and artist John in Calgary, and one grandson.
J. Donaldson Ross is a graduate of McMaster and MA of Environmental Studies from York University. He was public policy and strategic planner in the Ministry of Natural Resources until moving from Toronto to Orillia where he started a successful independent bookstore. While in Orillia, Don has been the founder in 1992 and three times chair of the Orillia Museum of Art and History, chair of the Orillia Heritage Committee, and the Orillia Hall of Fame; board member of the Mayor’s University Task Force to bring the satellite campus of Lakehead University to Orillia, and the Orillia Cultural Arts Centre. Don relishes a good novel, especially Canadian, Irish and Spanish, but mostly reads history of Champlain, the French Regime, Upper Canada and Scotland. He is also an antiquarian book collector, avid gardener and relentless genealogist. He is married to Evelyn Ross and lives in an 1885 Second Empire home, with two sons- engineer Cameron in Montreal, and artist John in Calgary, and one grandson.
Shelly Blevins
Shelly Blevins
Treasurer
Treasurer
Shelly is originally from Orillia and happy to have moved back to her hometown, the Sunshine City, with 3 lakes to enjoy. Shelly graduated from Georgian College in Barrie for Advertising and has since been working in marketing and advertising. Prior to returning to Orillia, Shelly worked in Toronto taking on various roles in account services, print and direct mail production and digital marketing project management. As a lifelong learner and valuing education and training, Shelly's experience will support the Orillia Literacy Council with marketing and communication. In her leisure time Shelly enjoys gardening, baking and watersports.
Shelly is originally from Orillia and happy to have moved back to her hometown, the Sunshine City, with 3 lakes to enjoy. Shelly graduated from Georgian College in Barrie for Advertising and has since been working in marketing and advertising. Prior to returning to Orillia, Shelly worked in Toronto taking on various roles in account services, print and direct mail production and digital marketing project management. As a lifelong learner and valuing education and training, Shelly's experience will support the Orillia Literacy Council with marketing and communication. In her leisure time Shelly enjoys gardening, baking and watersports.