About

Get out a cup of coffee or tea …

I have lived in Warkworth since 1997 (my home is outside of town). I came here to bring my vision of one day living in the country to reality. After my retirement from a 33 year banking career, I started my business Eclectic Mix at 13 Main St. in Warkworth where I focus on works of local and regional artists and artisans (www.eclecticmix.ca). I had been dreaming of one day having a gift shop since I was a teenager.

In the first month that I lived here I joined the Warkworth Community Service Club, a terrific organization that raises funds for 100% redistribution back into community projects. In 13 years I have missed only a hand full of meetings and have held a series of Club positions including Membership Secretary, Chair of the Donnybrook and President. Most recently I have been part of a small group that developed an updated constitution and a comprehensive document of duties and responsibilities.

I joined the Warkworth Business Association (WBA) which was just re-forming in 1998. The Association was just a small gathering of volunteers who believed that Warkworth had tremendous potential. Over the next couple of years the group developed a vision and a plan for the revitalization of the town. We worked among ourselves, partnered with the municipality, with community organizations, local residents and business owners as well as federal and provincial governments and the county to bring the vision to reality. I am the current Chair of the WBA. The WBA is an energetic group of hard workers who tirelessly work to raise funds for the revitalization projects. Events such as the famous Warkworth Long Lunch, the Holiday House Tour and the Garden Tour are permanent fixtures on our agenda.

The Warkworth Maple Syrup Festival is an important event for our community. I have been a member of the Festival Committee for about 10 years. I look after the advertising.

Facilitation, planning, marketing and communications have been strengths of mine as a result of my depth of experience in banking. I started in banking as a messenger just out of high-school. A key development role for me was that of VP International Foreign Exchange and Money Market Sales. I retired from the position of VP Marketing and Planning for the Corporate and Institutional part of the bank in 1999. During my years in banking it was a challenging environment for a female whose aspirations included leadership roles but I must say, very satisfying. During my last 10 years the Bank of Montreal was very supportive and enabled the breaking down of long held myths about women in business.

While I loved my career I love my community. I have been deeply involved throughout my years here. I am a member of the Westben Festival Chorus and a sponsor and former Board member of Westben. I was the facilitator of the group that helped Trent Hills Council determine the name for the newly amalgamated communities of Campbellford-Seymour, Percy (Warkworth) and Hastings. I facilitated sessions in each of the communities in order to get public input. Our group took all the input and came up with recommendations for council and the result was Trent Hills. I chaired the first Trent Hills Economic Development Committee and I did a term on the Campbellford Chamber of Commerce Board during which time the name was changed to the Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce and its activities broadened to embrace our post-amalgamation community.

I have facilitated planning sessions for various groups in Trent Hills. I also developed a presentation on how Warkworth has been achieving its vision. I have delivered this presentation both inside the community and to several towns outside the community.

Through my business I have been one of the 4 or 5 consistent advertisers that developed (originally with the volunteer help of Dale Clark of Orange Cap) and implemented the “Take Home a Piece of Warkworth” program.

I must admit to being a talker (are you still reading?) but I am also a very good listener for I believe that it is through listening that I get the greatest understanding. I typically will ask questions until I do understand things.

I publish a local newsletter “Warkworth Words” which is now over 10 years old. I do this on a volunteer basis, I don’t take advertising. The goal of Warkworth Words is to inform and entertain. I am increasingly getting submissions from the community. I publish it every two months. Some back issues can be found on my eclecticix.ca website. Warkworth Words has a list of about 130 paid subscribers (basically cost of mailing and printing) and another 2-300 are available in the community.

I love music and in the last 7 years have been working on a another long held dream …. to sing and perform. I was astonished and thrilled to get cast as Cynthia, one of four roles in “Menopositive the Musical” a Northumberland Players initiative. Subsequently we remounted the show at the Sterling Festival Theatre in 2009. We had sold out crowds. Definitely a highlight in my life!

I am lover of nature. I see wonder in every season. I love animals and I have a cat and a dog. I used to have two dogs but one just recently died.

On the family front – Both my parents are gone now. I have a wonderful step father. I have one sister and she is a bright light in my life. She lives down east but we talk every day. I have two cool nephews and a niece (in law). I enjoy a circle of wonderful friends and my life is very full.

I am an energetic person who is eager to help our community achieve the goals it sets for itself. I am now working on becoming up-to-date on all of our plans and issues both for our Ward 2 and for Trent Hills as a whole. I will be attending as many council meetings as I can over the next several months and I also plan on asking lots of questions around the community. I hope these activities will ensure that I will be worthy of your support in October.

Kim MacNeil