submitted by Marta Zwart
On June 21st, Kemptville Campus Education and Community Centre held its Annual General Meeting, marking its first year with an arms-length Board and new staff. The Campus is truly grateful for the work the Board did this year, especially to outgoing Chair Dermid O’Farrell and Treasurer Graham Pincott, and Katherine Parker, our resident human resources expert. A very warm welcome goes to incoming Board members Ross Lincoln and Paul Calder who will be working alongside Brian McKee (Chair), Annie Hillis (Vice-chair), Ed Patchell (Treasurer), Johanne Beaulieu (Secretary), Dana Farcasiu, and Tim Rennie.
Thanks to the work of the Board, staff and volunteers, Kemptville Campus has grown into a multi-use facility guided by three pillars: education and training, health and wellness, and economic development with an underlying theme of climate change resiliency. These pillars have led to many projects, events, and organizations that are making the campus more and more lively every day!
With such a rich agricultural background, Campus was pleased to be a part of the Kemptville Campus Community Garden project this year. Completely run by volunteers, the garden became more than just a plot of land and a great educational tool for kids and adults alike. This is only the beginning of many exciting projects happening on campus, including an RFP for greenhouse tenants, plans for a commercial kitchen, and exploring the possibility of having a musical instrument lending library.
Community organizations including sports groups such as Kemptville Minor Football (the Jags) and Mission Volleyball, and artists such as The Dreaming Heart Art and Painted Key Therapy are bringing a lot of fun, creative energy to campus. Of course, it’s impossible to mention ‘fun’ and ‘energy’ in a sentence without remembering that Kemptville Live Music Festival is right around the corner!
By continuing to provide spaces for nonprofits, local organizations, and individuals to host events, workshops, and programs, Campus hopes to continue building a diverse and welcoming place for the community to come together.
Check out the Kemptville Campus website for more information: www.kemptvillecampus.ca.
