MINDEMOYA—Dale and Holly Scott are two of the more prominent volunteers in their home community of the municipality of Central Manitoulin.
“A community counts and needs everyone helping out,” stated Holly. “We all need to work together. Volunteering is really important; a community is as good as its volunteers.”
“All communities require volunteers to help out,” said Dale. “You can’t get a lot of projects or things done in the community without volunteers. Northern Ontario is remote and all communities, large or small, need volunteers that are committed, want to help out the community and are in it for the long-term.”
“There is no lack of need and opportunities to volunteer, especially in small communities,” said Dale.
For about the last 10 years Holly has been on the Central Manitoulin beautification committee for Central Manitoulin. “I help care for the flowerbeds in the community, growing flowers and making sure they are maintained and to take care of them in the winter,” she said noting this includes about 100 flowers.
“I, along with Kathy Jewell and Julie McDermid, started Manitoulin Pet Rescue in 2019,” said Holly. “I do the finances as the treasurer for the group.”
“My favourite job as a volunteer is sewing and mending of clothes for residents of the Manitoulin Centennial Manor in Little Current,” stated Holly. “I wanted to do something different, and the residents need someone to sew and mend clothes. I do this every couple of weeks for the residents (at no cost), to help make sure the clothes they wear last a little longer. I started doing this well before COVID, about 10 years ago.”
“I did all of this when I was working at Scott’s Veterinarian Service, looking after the (financial) books,” said Holly. “I also did the (financial) books for the Freshwater Community Church for a couple of years.”
Ms. Scott sings with the Island Singers group and used to teach piano. While she has retired from teaching piano, “Once a month I play the piano at the Grace Bible Church in Little Current,” she said.
“We host house concerts at our house, about two or three times a year,” said Holly. There is space for about 45 people to attend the concerts. “I like to try and encourage local musicians, and so we provide the space for them to hold concerts in our house. Everyone who attends purchases a ticket at the concert and all the money goes to the musicians.”
Holly also helps out with her husbands annual Tour de Meldrum bicycle ride to raise funds for the Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC). She drives the support vehicle which is stocked with food and equipment needed for riders.
“When we first came to Manitoulin Island 50 years ago, I had just graduated (Veterinarians College School) and I was prepared to spend a couple of years working for Dr. Ken Tipper and then move on.”
“Part of the attraction of Manitoulin Island to me is volunteering,” said Dale. “I saw the value of volunteering early in my career and it has always been important to me to help out.”
He helped a large group of volunteers in putting the addition on what used to be the Missionary Church and is now the Freshwater Community Church in Mindemoya.
“This year will mark the 27th year of our ‘Tour de Meldrum,’ continued Dale. The first year he rode the route solo from Mindemoya to Meldrum Bay and back in the same weekend, to raise funds for the Island hospitals. “Over the years we have had a lot of riders take part. I take pleasure of how this got started,” he said noting as well, “I have also always participated in the annual Farley Ride that provides financial help for people who own pets but face financial challenges, be able to get necessary veterinarian work done on their pets, in Northern Ontario. This ride started in about 1987-1988 n Northern Ontario and about 10 years later it moved to Milton where the Ontario Veterinarians Association is housed. “I am still involved in the Farley Ride, and I volunteer with the Farley Foundation.”
Dale also served as a director on the College of Veterinarians Ontario but for about six years before switching over to the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association. “I was president for them for one term in 2012,” and was presented with a Lifetime Membership Award a few years ago from the latter.
Dale is a member of the Central Manitoulin committee of councils for Wagg’s Wood Trails committee. “It is incredible that we have developed these beautiful trails right in the community of Mindemoya. I’ve been on the Waggs’s Trail committee for about 5-6 years. He is also a volunteer for the Misery Bay Trail system in Burpee and Mills township.
As well as being a long-time member of the Central Manitoulin Lions Club, Dale has been president of the club for the past three years. “We try to keep all the funds we raise on the Island, for instance to help out with student bursaries at Manitoulin Secondary School, the MSS robotics teams, groups and individuals in Central Manitoulin and around the Island, as well as for example providing donations to help children who are patients at the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.”
