Michelle oversees FOCA’s printed and electronic messaging, and works with our association members to distribute information to our 50,000 members across the Province. Michelle manages FOCA’s website and Elerts, as well as our annual Year in Review and Lake Stewards Newsletter productions.

Michelle also liaises with FOCA’s Corporate Sponsors. Contact Michelle if your organization is interested in partnering with FOCA to support our mandate of protecting Ontario’s waterfront experience.

Michelle’s formative years were spent at a family cottage on Lake Solitaire in the Huntsville area, at the old Limberlost Lodge property.

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Patty was hired in early 2020 to facilitate administrative operations in the FOCA office, in support of FOCA’s advocacy, communications, and member support services. She is also focused on governance, supporting the FOCA Board of Directors and its Committees.

Patty’s background is in operations and account management. She is a past Chair of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of South Florida, and is certified in dispute resolution from York University and adult education from OISE.

Patty has been cottaging on Catchacoma Lake since the early 70’s and she looks forward to becoming a full-time waterfront resident in the near future.

Ian’s story:

Ian is a lawyer with a background in real estate, corporate commercial, governance and environmental law. He has been involved with the Lake of Bays Association (“LOBA”) as a Director for the past 8 years, including four years in which he was President of LOBA. He currently remains a Director of LOBA and the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation.

Ian, his wife, Laura, and their family “discovered” the Lake of Bays area 20 years ago and rented a cottage on a small lake—Otter Lake—near Dorset, before getting their own place on Lake of Bays ten years ago. Keen hikers, cyclists, swimmers and cross country skiers, Ian and Laura appreciate the peaceful solitude of Lake of Bays in all seasons and embrace the beautiful environment and amenities of the area, including Algonquin Park.

(Joined FOCA Board 2020)

He has been involved in the Kawartha Lakes community since in the late 1960’s. John joined the family business in Coboconk in the early 70’s, moved to Fenelon Falls and on to Lindsay where he became involved in the Association of Kinsmen Clubs and achieved 10 years’ perfect attendance. John was involved in family ownership of 2 cottages until he built his Panabode on Balsam Lake in 1993.

Throughout his lengthy career in the Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Industry, John has also been a committed volunteer in trade associations and is a Past President of the Indian Point Property Owners’ Association. John also volunteered as a civilian volunteer in the OPP’s ERASE Program.

Recently retired, John has had a life-long commitment to cottage life with a dedicated involvement and commitment to organization and committee work including the issues that face us at the waterfront. He hopes to find time for tennis, boating, sailing, bridge and the grand kids.
Linda and John now have 7 grandchildren. Their eldest daughter Allison has recently purchased her own cottage next door to the property John grew up at on Nottawasaga Bay.

(Joined FOCA Board 2018)

“Here’s my story: I was first exposed to “cottaging” in the late 50’s. My father owned a camp in northern Ontario on the outskirts of my home town. Unfortunately, a forest fire near the town of Chapleau destroyed the camp in 1958. My father never rebuilt and my cottage experience suffered a gap of nearly 20 years.

After spending time at friends’ cottages from the mid 70’s to the late 90’s and after renting on a few occasions, we purchased a cottage (built in 1958) on Kennisis Lake while renting there in 2002. We loved the rugged character of the Haliburton Highlands. Given that we were newbies, we volunteered at various association events so that we could meet the neighbours, enjoy the lake environment more fully and contribute to the cottage community.

In 2005 I became the treasurer of the Kennisis Lake Cottage Owners’ Association (KLCOA) and served in that capacity for 7 years, followed by the role of president for 2 years.

My wife and I both retired in 2013, me after spending 40 years in the Telecom industry and my wife as an elementary teacher and school administrator for 35 years. Retirement has offered us the opportunity to enjoy the cottage more fully and not just on weekends.

My concerns with ownership and the cottage experience are broad but focus mainly on the issues that affect the health of the lake and our ability to enjoy it throughout the year (e.g. shoreline health, properly functioning septic systems, etc…).”

(Joined FOCA Board 2017)

“Here’s my story: For most of my life, I have spent summers at a cottage. The first was Whiting Beach, Lake Muskoka, since I was 3 weeks old. Then to Kahshe Lake, Muskoka in my teen years; I even formed, with friends, the Kahshe Lake Junior Cottagers Association. For the past 40+ years we have owned a cottage on Catchacoma Lake in the Kawartha Highlands.

Cottage life is in my blood. I only spent one summer in the city when first married! We bought our cottage before a house—that was the priority. Need I say more?

Being water-access only, we are seasonal cottagers. All know that cottages are ‘maintenance’ for the owners and ‘vacation’ for friends and family. Some say a money pit, for sure. But how about ending up owning a marina with 65 others so we could get to our cottages!

My skills sets relate to the not for profit sector in governance, membership, strategic planning along with other portfolios geared to this sector. I was appointed by the Provincial Government in Council to sit on the Management Advisory Board of the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park when it was given royal consent for 11 years. I also have board experience, both on national boards as well as provincial charities.”

(Joined FOCA Board 2017)

“Here’s my story: My wife and I own a cottage on Otter Lake just south of Parry Sound. We purchased the cottage in 1998 after arriving back to Canada from living in Luxembourg. The couple we purchased the cottage from still have the place next door.

I had spent a few weekends at friend’s cottages over the years, so owning a cottage was very new to me but my wife had spent summers at friends’ cottages in the past. Travelling from Toronto along old Hwy.69 (when it was only two lanes) was a challenge of my patience in the beginning, and going home was very difficult, sometimes taking 5 hours. Nonetheless we continued to make the drive almost every weekend from Easter to Thanksgiving. With Highway 400 now twinned north of Parry Sound the drive up is better, but still the drive home is more difficult because I would rather be at the cottage than driving back to Toronto.

We can only drive in to our cottage during three seasons, but coming up in the winter—first by foot, then by snowshoe, and lastly by snowmobile—in my view, is the best, even with the challenges. It is quieter and you get a better sense of life with the fire burning inside. Then you go out and breathe in and, when it is cold, your nostrils stick together. And there is tobogganing, skating on the lake and playing in the snow—how Canadian!

Since 2014 I have sat on the Board of the Otter Lake Ratepayers’ Association as Treasurer. I also sit on our local cottage road association as the Secretary & Treasurer. As a founding member of the road association, I have had many challenges that I could not have appreciated until stepping into the issues; I think I have learned enough about practical road issues to write a book.

My professional background includes the fact that I am a Chartered Accountant with over 25-years of experience. For over 5 years now I have been working as a sole practitioner, with a focus on taxation. This allows me the freedom to run my own schedule and spend more time at the cottage. Taking a conference call from “my office” is very different these days.

Given my background working with numbers, I track my days at the cottage and in 2016, I finally achieved one of my cottage goals: more than 100 days at the cottage! I achieved this milestone by spending nearly all of August at the cottage with my daughter.

At the cottage, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, but I especially like to work on my hobbies, and build or renovate to try and improve things for my family, and hopefully for my daughter’s family, down the road. I would like to think that I could retire sooner rather than later, so I can spend even more time at the cottage; I will put that on my cottage goal list, so I have something to reach for over the next few years.”

(Joined FOCA Board 2017)

In the mid-70’s my siblings and I each purchased lots and built four season cottages where our nine children, nieces and nephews spent summers, bonding and exploring. Now the grandchildren are continuing the tradition.
With retirement, my husband and I have more time to spend at the lake, especially enjoying the spring and fall which were not times we had spent much time during the work years. I’m excited to join the FOCA board after a long career in the public and private sectors working on environmental management issues.

(Joined FOCA Board 2017)