Provided invaluable insight into Rainbow District School Board operations
To the Expositor:
I was saddened to learn of the passing of Manitoulin Islander, Larry Killens.
He did not know me, and I did not meet him face to face, but I felt I knew him through your reports on him and through his activism and letters to the editor.
I lived in Espanola for almost a quarter of a century and when my mother was ill, I moved back home to Cobalt in 2005.
But I kept on faithfully reading The Manitoulin Expositor and Mid-North Monitor, hungry for news of the region and its fine people.
When I became embroiled in an effort to save our local public school from closing, through the Accommodation Review process, I leaned heavily on the words and actions of Larry Killens in regards to his trustee position with the Rainbow District School Board.
His insight into school board operations was incredibly valuable to me during that period of time and overall, he successfully put the “trust” back in trustee, which I felt at times was lacking with so many who decide to take on this important role.
I always said if I were going to run for a school board trustee position, my service would be modeled after Killens’ tenure.
I loved reading his letters to the editor on various topics of interest over the years, because if you needed an informed barometer on what was happening on the Island or around the world, Killens provided that.
I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and the greater community of Manitoulin Island.
May he rest in power and peace!
Thank you,
Sue Nielsen
Cobalt
