Order Of Orillia Bestowed This Week
By John Swartz
The Order of Orillia class grew by two members Thursday evening at a ceremony in the council chamber. The chamber was almost full of family, friends, and well-wishers connected to the organizations Cathy O’Connor and Barbara Jones are connected to.
Cathy O’Connor
Chuck Penny, chair of the commemorative awards selection panel, Cathy O’Connor, Mayor Don McIsaac
O’Connor has been a volunteer with and served on the board the Mariposa Gymnastics Club for 27 years. She contributed to developing the club’s programs and policies. O’Connor added being the community coordinator of the Special Olympics to her agenda in 2018. She was instrumental recruiting new volunteers and developing partnerships so local athletes had competitive opportunities.
We’re not done, O’Connor also volunteered with the Orillia Minor Hockey Association for 18 years and held various positions, including several terms as president. She was awarded a life membership in 2011. She has been involved in many fundraising events in the city and has helped many groups including the Orillia and District Soccer Club, Orillia Minor Lacrosse, and the Orillia Lawn Bowling Club.
Barbara Jones
Jones has been a volunteer with Orillia’s Canadian Federation of University Women. She worked on increasing engagement and their scholarship programs for high school graduates. Jones is also a leader and founding member of Third Age Learning Lakehead, which promotes life-long learning such as a speaker’s series for creative, thought provoking education for adults.
She was also a member of the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition’s Ladies of the Lake group, who created a fundraising calendar to public awareness about Lake Simcoes environmental challenges; the calendar raised $500,000 over two years. Jones was also involved with the creation and publication of the Ladies’ book Do Fish Fart? She also contributed to fundraising for the Orillia Museum of Art and History, The Sharing Place Food Centre and Hillcrest Lodge.
The Order of Orillia is awarded to individuals and groups who volunteered a decade or more of their time to bettering the community.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia) Main: Mayor Don McIsaac and Chuck Penny presenting Order of Orillia Awards.
