Headwaters Communities in Action Holds its Annual General Meeting on October 8, 2019

Headwaters Communities in Action is the backbone organization supporting the following project areas: Volunteer Dufferin, Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance (HFFA), DC Moves (A collaborative of Dufferin Social Service agencies and NFP’s), Trails Team, and the Dufferin County Community grants assessment process.

Our AGM is an opportunity for us to thank and recognize the coordinators who manage the project areas, as well as the numerous volunteers that support a variety of activities. Our Volunteer Dufferin Coordinator, Lisa Post, spoke to attendees about volunteerism and what drives us to volunteer. She walked everyone through key upgrades to the Volunteer Dufferin website. Those changes now make it easy for high school students to identify opportunities that can be used toward their 40 hours of community service. Lisa will be visiting schools this fall to promote these new features.

We always like to do something a little different to tickle the crowd and this year it was inviting the attendees to participate in packing a food bag for our Farm to School Food Club program. That program hails from the HFFA subgroup of Education Literacy and Access. It aims to teach kids about where their food comes from and introduces healthier choices. This school year the program is offered seasonally. Volunteers pack fresh local produce and a seasonal recipe into backpacks for participating kids to take home. It’s a much-loved program led by Program Coordinator, Adelle Barr-Klouman.

“Our fabulous guest speakers spoke about how engaged, resilient and inclusive communities are built through strong connections between community members (citizens, organizations, businesses & government). Mayor Sandy Brown took time from his busy schedule to talk to us about community building from the municipal perspective. A huge thank you to Sandy for sharing his thoughts with us. We also added an update on an important seniors initiative to this year’s celebration. Dorothy Mazeau from Golden Girls described how some seniors are re-imagining living arrangements to stay in their homes, or to find alternatives to standard residences.” said Shirley Boxem, Executive Director, HCIA.

HCIA Board of Directors

The Board of Headwaters Communities in Action, known as the Leadership Council, represents a fantastic cross-section of our community and allows us to provide the project support that we do. The HCIA Leadership Council elected members to the offices of Co-Chairs and Vice-Chair and Treasurer at the AGM.

The Leadership Council includes:

• Trish Keachie (Co-Chair) – Former Executive Director, DCAFS
• Diana Morris (Co-Chair) – General Manager, Dufferin Board of Trade
• Andrew James (Vice-Chair) – STREAMS Hub
• Gord Gallaugher (Accounting and Past Chair) – Former Mayor of Mulmur
• Jeff Sedgwick (Treasurer) – The Co-operators
• Jeremy Bullock – County of Dufferin
• Lynn Codd – Citizen and retired educator
• Jennifer Hamilton – Headwaters Health Care
• Madeline Gibson – Planner New Tecumseth
• Darren White – Warden Dufferin County

Ken Topping (former Vice -Chair) and Sylvia Cheuy will be stepping down from the Board this year.  We would like to thank Ken and Sylvia for the time, expertise and passion they have given to the HCIA organization over their many years on our Board.

The HCIA Leadership Council would like to thank all our partners, supporters and cheerleaders. It’s all about community!

About Headwaters Communities in Action

HCIA is about engaged citizens shaping a vibrant, sustainable & resilient community together.  Since our inception in late 2004, HCIA has been a convener of community conversations.  We provide citizens with information about emerging issues and opportunities and also support the start-up of collaborative projects that enhance community well-being.  HCIA has several project areas resulting from priorities identified in our Community Well-Being Report and the follow up Community Well-Being Refresh project.  They include:  DC MOVES, Volunteer Dufferin, Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance (HFFA) and Citizens of Headwaters for Active Transportation Team (CHATT).

Primary funding for HCIA is from the County of Dufferin and United Way of Guelph Wellington Dufferin.

For further information, photographs or interviews, please contact:

Shirley Boxem

Executive Director

Headwaters Communities in Action  

Action@headwaterscommunities.org

519-925-0347