Introducing Our August Member Spotlight: Meet MaryJane!
We’re thrilled to shine this month’s spotlight on MaryJane, our August Member of the Month and proud recipient of the Sunshine Award, as voted by her fellow LC members!
MaryJane’s warm energy and vibrant presence have made a lasting impression on our community. Whether she’s sharing a laugh by the pool or playing music with the Ukulele Sista's, she truly embodies what it means to be a shining light. Thank you for bringing the sunshine wherever you go!
My introduction to life in the Blue Mountains was when I was 17 and was heading off to University in September but took a summer job FAR away from my hometown of Sarnia. I was a dishwasher at Blue Mountain Easter Seal Camp in Craigleith. I’m still washing dishes but we made Thornbury our home in 2008 after raising two sons in Oakville and retiring from a wonderful career of teaching high school with the Halton Board – mainly French as a 2nd Language.
Having graduated from UWO and U of T I chose to teach in Botswana, Africa before starting my real job - downtown Toronto at an elementary school in Riverdale area. I would have to say that teaching English outdoors to approximately 50+ keen children, with only a blackboard and a piece of chalk, whilst living in a thatched roof rondavel with no running water and no electricity was a very formative time for me. I had no idea how eternally grateful I would become as a proud Canadian and so thankful for all that we have here. I also realized that no matter where we live or what we have to contend with, people around the world want the same thing; opportunities for their children to be successful and to lead a happy life.
Shortly after we arrived in Thornbury, I was fortunate to meet a group of like-minded people and together we formed Beaver Valley Open Door. Our legacy was bringing four families to this area (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq and two from Syria) and supporting them through various fund-raising events until they were on their feet. I continue to keep a close eye on all four families and I am very blessed to be treated like a Grandma and to participate in their milestones. (Finally, I am now a REAL Grandma to a special little girl!)
I have been on the board of Beaver Valley Association of Lifelong Learning for about 8 years. We bring in various interesting speakers to the L.E. Shore Library for third age learning. When I’m not treading water at Lemonade (I’ve never learned to swim!) I enjoy all aspects of music – singing in a choir in Owen Sound, playing my djembe and have just bought a bodhran to teach myself some Irish drumming. I also play in a fun ukulele group every week.
