Changing the World, One Girl at a Time

Lorraine grew up in Welland, Ontario, and met her husband John, at Western University. After graduating, they moved to Milwaukee, where Lorraine earned her teaching degree at University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin, and then taught high school English. They also lived in Toledo, Baltimore, and Brantford, before returning to London, where John became City Engineer for London and Lorraine taught in Dorchester and Strathroy. They were a skiing family, so both sons and their wives and grandchildren live in the beautiful state of Colorado.

Just as Lorraine was retiring from teaching and contemplating how she could help with the devastating AIDS crisis in Africa, she read in the London Free Press about Hekima Place, a home for Kenyan girls who were orphaned due to HIV/AIDS. Lorraine volunteered there for a month in 2007 and has been involved ever since. She serves on their Board of Directors and spent 2 weeks at Hekima Place in 2023. Its mission has expanded to provide a loving and supportive home for vulnerable girls who have been abused, abandoned, neglected, or orphaned. Since its founding in 2005, Hekima Place has increased its impact through the addition of a school for not only their girls, but also for children in the surrounding community of Kiserian, near Nairobi.

Lorraine enjoys skiing, kayaking and reading and is a long-time member of Women’s Canadian Club London, including 10 years as a Board member.