“You just have to do something, make an impact; I always wanted to leave a mark!”
At St. James Cathedral, The York Group’s Baby Shower for Moorelands Baby Bundles program, we had the good fortune to run into Jane Rowan. Jane is not only the Secretary of the York Group, with a long history of supporting Moorelands through their annual Baby Shower, but she also knows the benefits of Moorelands Camp program first hand.
As a single mother in the 1970s, Jane sent her children, Daniel and Darryl, to Moorelands Camp. It was a difficult time for her, she explains: “I’d split from my husband and my parents disapproved – back then there was a lot of stigma attached to being a single parent.” For Jane, it was a relief to find out about Moorelands and the opportunities it would provide for her young boys, “I didn’t have a lot of money at the time, but I didn’t want to deprive my kids of anything.”
How did she feel sending her two young children away from home for two weeks for the first time? “I was mostly relieved!” Jane smiles, “I was working full time and it gave me a much-needed break. I knew they would be looked after and I didn’t have to worry.”
The boys had so much fun they went back two years in a row, accompanied by her sister’s children, Karen and Jason. The cousins all have fond memories of camp. “They remember the boats going over to the Island very well, it left quite the impact on them.”
It’s clear that Jane is very proud of her boys and what they have achieved since their days at Moorelands. Daniel works at the University of Toronto as a Stationary Engineer and Darryl is an Accounting Manager at CBC. She’s “amazed” by their success and feels so blessed for the opportunities they have been given.
As for Jane herself, she too has achieved so much since those early days of being a single parent. She went back to school to study Industrial Accountancy and after graduation worked as an Accountant. Her career took her to Saudi Arabia as an Assistant Financial Controller and when she returned she became a Non-Profit/Co-operative Property Manager and founder of a childcare co-operative.
A volunteer at her church and in her co-op, as well as a great supporter of Moorelands Baby Bundles, Jane is filled with enthusiasm as she discusses the plans already underway for the York Group’s Baby Shower 2016. She explains, “We already have five bags of baby supplies ready for next year!”
It’s clear Jane is dedicated to Moorelands and the work we do. As she considers the impact she has made over her years working in the non-profit sector and volunteering, she remarks on how important it is to engage the next generation in volunteerism and charity work. “You just have to do something,” she explains, “make an impact, I always wanted to leave a mark!”
Thank you, Jane. By choosing Moorelands and supporting our Baby Bundles program, you’ve made a significant impact in the lives of some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
This Christmas, like Jane, why not choose to share your time in support of our Baby Bundles program.
Help give babies born into poverty, the best start in life. Find out more or call Cheryle at 416-466-9987 x 300.
Please keep your Century Club stories coming! Contact Helen: hgaan@moorelands.ca or 416-466-9987 ext. 312