A crowd of more than 70 people attended the Epic Opportunities annual general meeting held at the Viscount Gort Hotel.
Epic Opportunities supporters came together last month to celebrate the organization’s successes of the past year and look ahead to the future.
A crowd of more than 70 people attended the Epic Opportunities annual general meeting, held Tues., June 16 at the Viscount Gort Hotel. Those in attendance included people who receive support from Epic Opportunities and their families, current and former staff, and corporate supporters.
The evening began with a report on the Epic Opportunities Foundation and its activities. The primary fundraising body for Epic Opportunities, the foundation has been steadily growing since its formation in 2011 and has raised more than $200,000 during that time.
Foundation Director Ralph Guy spoke about the board’s plans to strengthen its capacity going forward. As part of those strategic efforts, the foundation’s board has identified two key priorities:
- to seek out additional fundraising opportunities for Epic Opportunities including increased corporate support
- increase public awareness of the work Epic Opportunities does to ensure it is well known and respected in the community
Executive Director Ruby Reimer provided details of Epic Opportunities’ new five-year strategic plan.
Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of Epic Opportunities’ new five-year strategic plan. The plan is the organization’s blueprint for the next five years. Executive Director Ruby Reimer provided details of the plan and answered questions about it from those in attendance.
Kellie Thai, Employment Consultant with Epic Opportunities’ Career Exploration Service, talked about the organization’s partnership with the Ready, Willing & Able initiative and how it will provide additional resources to help people with intellectual disabilities find meaningful and rewarding employment.
This year was the first time the AGM was hosted at the Viscount Gort Hotel. Reimer praised the hotel staff for the great service they provided and said she was pleased with the positive feedback she received from those in attendance, especially about the accessibility of the new venue.
Several changes to the Epic Opportunities board of directors and the Epic Opportunities Foundation board were announced at the meeting. Shawn Mahoney succeeds Timothy Nyhof as president of the Epic Opportunities board while Ellen MacDonald joins the board. Meanwhile, Shari Diamond and Ruth-Ann Sooden have joined the Epic Opportunities Foundation board.
The evening wrapped up with a pair of moving presentations by two people served by Epic Opportunities and a tribute to a long-time member who passed away earlier this year.
