The apple never falls far
(Part One of Two)
October 25, 2004
By Cam Tait
BURLINGTON, ON // Tony Goodrow's advice for other community leaders
might seem cliché, but it holds truth. "Dream big and work hard,"
Tony writes. "I believe that if you have never had the feeling that
you've bitten off more than you can chew, then you are not trying hard
enough. Don't be afraid of trying and failing. Just learn from your
mistakes as well as from the successes of others."
His memories of lending a hand to community causes go back to his teenage
years. He recalls helping his Rotarian father with a variety of different
events. Tony enjoyed what he was doing back then, and knew that one
day he would become a Rotarian. "The apple has not fallen far from the
tree, and I am now a member of the club that my father once belonged
to," he says.
After his mother died at a hospice in a nearby town, Tony's commitment
went to a new level. Seeing her in a hospice inspired him to start planning
to build a hospice in his own community. With help from the four local
Rotary Clubs, the mayor, several generous community investments, and
support from the community at large, The Carpenter Hospice became a
reality. Tony was its founding chair.
"The hospice has enjoyed many successes, the first of which was opening
only three and a half years after the birth of the idea," he says. "I
credit a large amount of this success to the diverse range of talents
found around our initial board table. The hospice has become a model
for others following this path."
A subtle, but significant element of the hospice is the uniqueness of
each of its ten bedrooms. Tony says ten different local designers contributed
their touches, both creatively and financially, "to make what might
have been institutional looking bedrooms into a magnificent homelike
setting."
Still, there are challenges. "The road ahead is filled with challenges
and opportunities. I'm optimistically convinced that as hospice care
becomes common in neighbourhoods across the province and country, and
that with the pressures brought about by the aging of baby boomers,
that governments will increase their support for residential hospices
like ours. I foresee us expanding to a second home once operational
funding is known to be in place."
Tony says his role at the hospice is winding down compared to when he was the chair. "I am on the board of directors and volunteer my services in various projects," says Tony.
Next week we'll share more of Tony Goodrow's community leadership.
Do you know someone who deserves to be in the Charity Village Spotlight? Send us their name, telephone number and details about their community involvement to cam@charityvillage.com.
