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Former Mayor Mary Rose named Senior of the Year

June 24, 2015   ·   0 Comments

Former Orangeville Mayor and Councillor Mary T. Rose was given the Provincial Senior of the Year Award last Thursday, during a Health and Wellness Fair held at the Lord Dufferin Centre.

The award, which recognizes the recipient’s outstanding contributions to the community, was presented to Ms. Rose by Councillor Scott Wilson, who currently chairs the Orangeville Seniors/Age Friendly Community Committee.

Ms. Rose, well-known amongst many in the Orangeville community, has made significant contributions to the Town of Orangeville professionally, politically and personally for over 23 years. Along with her former position as Mayor of Orangeville, over the years, Ms. Rose has made significant contributions to the community as both a leader and tireless worker, and has held virtually every Council portfolio at one time or another as well as served on dozens of Council and public committees.

“Mary’s contributions to Orangeville are many and varied, and she is very deserving of this award,” said Councillor Wilson. “Through her efforts, Orangeville is a better place to live since she and Alex came to Town. The community owes them both a debt of gratitude.”

The Seniors Committee, which has worked with seniors in the community to make Orangeville a welcoming and warm place for all citizens, was initiated by Ms. Rose during her term as Mayor in 1992. Since then, the committee has held a successful annual seniors’ forum for many years, designed to celebrate seniors in the community. This was the first year since its inception, that the Senior’s forum was not held, with the Health and Wellness Fair held in its place.

One of Ms. Rose’s many accomplishments includes holding the position of the inaugural chair of the Orangeville Arts and Culture Committee, where she worked with the committee to deliver the Town’s Cultural plan.

Although she retired from politics in 2014, she accepted the position of chair of the Arts and Culture Committee once again, in order to ensure the continuation of development of local arts and culture.

Over the last few years, the World Health Age Friendly Community Initiative has become an ongoing Town project, which is designed to support participation and healthy active lifestyles, not just for older adults, but for citizens of all ages. Ms. Rose was instrumental in initiating the effort, which continues to see improvements and changes made to the Town to make a more accessible, active and healthy lifestyle for residents.

She has also worked directly with the Georgian College Orangeville campus in order to develop a Computers for Seniors program, which has become quite popular, and continues to work with the college to promote learning in the community.

Ms. Rose is a native of Britain, and came to Canada for a short while in 1966 before moving to the country permanently in 1974. Ms. Rose and her husband Alex have three children: Michael, Allan and Aislinn.

Prior to her time in Orangeville, Ms. Rose was a school teacher in Windsor and Brampton. Following her move to Orangeville, she taught at St. Peter Roman Catholic School from 1975 until 2002.

Over the years, Ms. Rose has been honoured with the 1992 Canada 125 Medal for services to Orangeville, the 2002 Royal Canadian Legion 75 Year Medal for services to the Orangeville Royal Canadian Legion Branch 233, and the 2013 Town of Orangeville Sesquicentennial Commemorative Award.

She is described by those who know her as passionate and caring, and has a reputation for being thorough in whatever task she undertakes. Ms. Rose has served at the Headwaters Health Care Centre as chaplain, worked with the local Big Brothers organization, and is a long-standing member of the Catholic Women’s League at St. Timothy church.

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