Since I joined the Landscape Ontario family in mid-September 2020, my first six months have gone by in the blink of an eye. I’ve worked alongside LO member volunteers on newly-formed committees, and participated in many sector group and provincial board meetings to learn just what LO is all about. Changing roles during a pandemic was the last thing I thought I would do, but getting to meet the many dedicated and caring volunteers has been truly inspiring and made my career change well worth the leap. I have also learned about the many ways landscaping and horticulture can improve our mental and physical well-being.
 

Yearly planning

Covid-19 has forced many changes on us all. Last fall, your LO membership team introduced the first All-Chapter meeting, an online event I was lucky to co-host. The All-Chapter meetings have become a huge success, and while planning for the fourth All-Chapter meeting in March, I was challenged to think ahead in terms of planning and delivering on topics that our membership voiced would be of relevance. After taking note of the great topics recommended at that meeting, we decided to host an All-Chapter President’s meeting to get even more insight on what our association leaders have to say. The input will help us to plan the All-Chapter meetings until December 2022.

With the energy, enthusiasm and input from our sector group boards and chairs and provincial board, I have also been able to plan a year’s worth of Sector Group meetings and Provincial Board of Directors meetings for 2021 — a task I am told has never been done before.

With the input and ideas from our amazing chapter boards, I will continue to develop my connections with all LO chapters and produce a calendar of events that supports and promotes all of the great things our chapters do in a year. I am also looking forward to building a marketing plan that will help keep current members engaged and attract new members to the association.
 

Safety

In my short experience with LO I’ve also learned that safety is a top priority. I jumped at the opportunity to sit on LO’s Joint Health & Safety Committee to learn more about this important topic and to help ensure the health and safety of our team — especially now, as we continue to navigate through the pandemic.

I was also invited to join LO’s new Social Awareness and Ethics Committee, which gave me a huge sense of honour and duty. Social injustice and ethics are topics I’ve become even more passionate about ever since I first entered the workforce, and knowing that LO members feel the same way is empowering. It’s amazing to see the forward thinking abilities of our members and that our organization sees the importance of these sometimes uncomfortable, but very necessary topics that affect all our lives. Both efforts will help to implement positive changes within LO and throughout our membership and the profession.
 

Volunteer base

One thing I’ve learned for sure: through the passion and commitment of LO members, great things have been accomplished by working toward a common goal. I’ve been a part of many committees and volunteer groups throughout my career, but have yet to see another group as engaged and connected as LO’s volunteer base. It has been such a pleasure to connect with passionate professionals who only want the best for our industry.

If you have any ideas about membership or LO in general, please feel free to connect with me. I am happy and excited to continue growing with the LO family and look forward to meeting everyone in-person someday.

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