EDITOR’S NOTE: This column is the last in a series which has featured this year’s recipients of the Order of Collingwood and the Companion to the Order of Collingwood.
For years, Deborah Keep has served on a multitude of local non-profit boards, bringing her grant-writing skills to many of Collingwood’s major charities.
For this week’s edition of People of Collingwood we spoke with Keep, 64, recipient of the Companion to the Order of Collingwood.
Q: For how long have you lived in Collingwood?
A: I moved here in 1994.
Q: When did you move here and why?
A: I grew up in Montreal. I went to Queen’s University for a Bachelor of Science in chemistry.
I had a job in Toronto, then Calgary, then Kingston. I went and got my Master’s at Queen’s, and in Belgium through an exchange.
When I graduated, I got a job in Mississauga.
When I was working in Mississauga, I met a gentleman who lived in Collingwood. I decided I wanted to be there with him and moved.
I chased a man. (laughs)
Q: What was your job?
A: Well, I lived in Collingwood full-time with my husband, and I continued to work in Mississauga and commuted.
I worked for General Electric on their senior management team.
Q: Are you retired now?
A: I retired in 2002. A long time ago.
Q: Could you outline your volunteer experience here?
A: Whether I was living in Calgary, Kingston or wherever, I have always sought volunteer opportunities. When I was working for General Electric, one of the presidents was very involved in the United Way and he kind of recruited me.
When I was working in Mississauga, it was hard for me to do much volunteering in Collingwood.
When I retired, I looked for opportunities to volunteer here.
It started with the Collingwood Elvis Festival. I saw something in the paper that they were looking for volunteers. I watched for opportunities. I saw an ad for My Friend’s House looking for board members.
My husband passed away in 2001. At the time, the Collingwood and District Humane Society (now the Georgian Triangle Humane Society) were looking to build an animal shelter.
He had cancer, so my husband knew he was going. His one request was he wanted to see an animal shelter built in Collingwood. After he passed, I got in touch with them and started working with them on fundraising for capital funds to build the shelter.
It was just one thing after the other. People would contact me and ask for help with this or that. I worked my way around.
I was on the My Friend’s House board. Then with the humane society. I also served on Theatre Collingwood’s board.
I was skiing with a girlfriend who was working with Elephant Thoughts so I looked into them and ended up being a chair on that board for a very long time.
If you’re looking for opportunities to help people in a community, they’ll find you.
Q: What drives you to want to volunteer your time toward these causes in particular?
A: For me, it’s more about who is involved.
When I met the people on the board for Theatre Collingwood at that time, I was impressed with the people (on the board). They were smart, funny and caring. I thought, I wanted to work with these people.
With Elephant Thoughts, when I read about them I was blown away by the things they had accomplished. I liked working with their executive director and the other board members.
I’m vice chair now with Home Horizon.
I select because people select me. I have experience writing for grant (applications). When people ask me for help, and I’m able to help... I’m in.
Q: How did you feel when you found out you’d been chosen to receive the Companion to the Order of Collingwood this year?
A: I was blown away and thrilled. The Companion comes after getting the Order. The Order (of Collingwood) is a big deal.
When I got the Order, a lot of the people I knew had received it. I truly admired and respected them.
Funny story – In 2014 (when I received the Order), we’d had an incident on our street where it hadn’t been plowed and there had been a big snowstorm. I had a board meeting to attend, and I couldn’t get down the street. I had been yakking about it with my neighbours while we shovelled. Someone suggested I call then-Mayor Sandra Cooper about getting the street plowed and we all laughed.
I managed to go to the meeting. After I got home – I literally was home for 10 minutes – and my phone rang and it was Sandra Cooper.
I immediately thought, “Which one of my neighbours used my name?!”
She was calling about my selection to the Order of Collingwood.
It’s a thrill to get the Companion because there are so few people who have, but getting the Order originally blew me out of the water. It’s the icing on the cake.
Q: Do you have any other hobbies you’d like to talk about?
A: I ski. I’m at Mont Tremblant now. I have a house here that I spend time at. I attend my board meetings by Zoom.
Skiing and golf are my two big things. I love gardening. I go for walks with friends. I like being active. It drives me crazy sitting around with nothing to do. I’m not good at that.
Q: What does the future hold for you?
A: I don’t see myself slowing down. I excel at being busy.
What opportunities will come that will make my adopted home of Collingwood a better place?
I started my own foundation about seven years ago so I could invest in Collingwood as well, and I run that foundation. I see myself continuing until I’m no longer capable or wanted.
For our feature People of Collingwood, we speak with interesting people who are either from or are contributing to the Collingwood community in some way, letting them tell their own stories in their own words. This feature runs on CollingwoodToday every weekend. If you’d like to nominate or suggest someone to be featured in People of Collingwood, email [email protected].
