Topic: “Food and Politics” Steve was born and lives in St. Thomas. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Western. He was first elected MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London in 1999 and served as Minister of Agriculture and Food and later as Minister of Labour. His extensive agricultural and political background well informs his [...]
Topic: “A Jazzy Concert for the Season” We are delighted to welcome back Denise! She has performed with orchestras as far afield as Portugal and Germany, opened for Aretha Franklin as well as performed with the Jeans and Classics Series. Although Denise will be singing for us, she is also an accomplished actress and respected [...]
Topic: “The River Runs Through It: Our Connection to the Thames River” Patrick is a “river guy” from growing up near the Assiniboine River, attending university beside the Red River to managing various watersheds, including the Ausable, Bayfield, Grand and Thames rivers. Holding a Masters in Science and being a Registered Professional Planner, he is [...]
Topic: “Black Canadians in the U.S. Civil War” Bryan and Shannon are both from Canada’s historic Elgin Settlement and Buxton Mission. Bryan is an historical consultant as well as an award-winning author. Shannon is a graduate from the Museum Studies Program and Chair of the National Historic Sites Alliance of Ontario. She is also a [...]
Topic: “My Swim Across Lake Ontario”. The February Youth Speaker is Ashleigh Beacham, 16, a student at Medway High School, who lives in Komoka. She will talk about her swim across Lake Ontario last summer, to raise money so a young boy with cancer could go to Disney World.
Topic: “Academics & Activism: The Perils of Researching International Political Media” Dr. Smeltzer holds a Masters degree in Anthropology and a Ph.D. in Communication from Carleton University. Her primary areas of research and publication include: communication in developing countries, the ethics of activist research and information, and communication technologies (ICTs) for social justice. Food Drive [...]
Topic: “My experience as an International Student”. The March Youth Speaker is Elizabeth Almost, 17, a student at Banting High School in London. She will talk about her experience last summer at an international school, where she attended classes in Toronto, New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, and Beijing.
Topic: “In My Own Name: Lessons Learned and Challenges Left” In the decade since publishing her book In My Own Name, Maureen has spoken across Canada on legal issues at the end of life, worked for women’s health and equality rights, and co-chaired the National Expert Commission on the transformations of the Canadian health care [...]
Topic: “My Career as a Sports Broadcaster”. At a young age, Pete James attended the School of Radio Technique in New York City. He has since worked in radio and television and spent most of his career in his beloved London as a sportscaster and anchor with CHLO, CKSL, CFPL, and CJBK. Now semi-retired, Pete [...]
Topic: “Overcoming Challenges”. Our September Youth Speaker is Shauna Vink, a recent graduate of Catholic Central High School. She will talk about her challenges in learning and sports when faced with both ADHD and Dyslexia. She was recognized for her accomplishments when she was named London’s “Female 2014 Beyond Disability SPECTRA Award Winner.”