GBA Update Fall 2024

PRESIDENT’S REPORT A Time of Transitions, Accomplishments, and New Beginnings

By Liz Phillips, GBA President

A s we close our cottages and prepare ourselves for another winter, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the transitions, exciting new initiatives, and ongoing successes that continue to drive GBA forward.

telecommunications, and not-for-profit. Allison’s familiarity with our organization, knowledge, and passion for Georgian Bay, combined with her understanding of critical issues that

matter to GBA and our member associations, will ensure strong continuity in supporting our members and building momentum in crucial initiatives. I am also thrilled to announce that this is the inaugural year for our Champions of the Bay Award. We’ve received an impressive slate of nominees, all of whom have made significant contributions to improving and protecting our local environment. The committee is currently reviewing the applications, and I can confidently say that each nominee’s work is inspiring. Stay tuned for the announcement of the award recipient in the new year!

First, we bid a bittersweet farewell to our esteemed executive director, Rupert Kindersley, who retired in September. We are sorry to see him go, but are excited about the new opportunities he has planned.

Rupert first joined

the GBA Board in 2008 as a representative of the Sans Souci & Copperhead Association. After serving as a volunteer, including acting as editor of UPDATE and contributing significantly to several GBA committees, he became GBA’s executive director in 2018. Rupert's extensive knowledge and passion for Georgian Bay and his actions on key issues facing the Bay have been integral to GBA’s success. On behalf of the entire board and our membership, I want to express our deepest gratitude for his service and unwavering dedication to the Bay. We wish Rupert all the best in this well deserved retirement. As we say goodbye, we are equally excited about the future. We have officially begun the search for a new executive director, a process we approach with great optimism. This is an opportunity to bring in fresh energy and new perspectives, and we look forward to finding a leader who will build on our past successes while guiding us into the future. In the meantime, we are very grateful that GBA Board member Allison Needham from the West Carling Association has stepped in as GBA’s interim executive director. Allison has more than 20 years of experience in communications and fundraising in various industries such as retail,

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Vision 2050 team, we are more than halfway to reaching our fundraising goal. When we have reached our target, we will be able to kick off phase 1 of this ambitious and aspirational project. Vision 2050 represents a forward-looking strategy for sustainable growth and environmental stewardship, and I’m confident it will have a lasting positive impact on our community. Looking ahead, I am eagerly anticipating the GBA President’s Forum in November, yet another new initiative that we hope will become a regular occurrence. This will be a valuable opportunity for GBA to hear directly from our member associations to better understand the challenges and opportunities their organizations are facing. By aligning our resources, we can provide stronger support and enhance the collective efforts of our community associations. This forum represents an important step in fostering collaboration and shared solutions across the board. As always, thank you for your continued support and engagement. Together, we are making great strides in strengthening our organization, protecting our environment, and ensuring a bright future for the next generation.

www.georgianbay.ca

GBA UPDATE Fall 2024

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