Board Members:

Lynn Sarkozy, President    |    Emily Glossop, Vice President   |   Greg Boddy, Treasurer   |   Jude Pattenden  |   Joanne Thomson   |   Meg Ogden   |    Derek Jackson   |   Alison Bourgon   |   Luis Gabriel Zuniga   |   Joanne Dobson   |   Matthew Lynch   |   Ethan McMonagle

Dovercat the mascot is jumping and pointing

We want you!

Dovercourt is seeking new board members.

We are seeking individuals to help us fulfill our mission of building a healthy, active and engaged community. Share & develop your talents and skills, contribute to your community, and work with a diverse group of people for a great cause. New Board Members will be elected at our AGM, in May 2024.

For more information, contact Sureen Gosal at [email protected]

Read more about our volunteer board…and consider joining!

Lynn is married with 2 boys now in university, and has enjoyed a 30 year career as a marketing strategist. She loves to travel and be active outdoors. She has lived in the same house in Westboro since moving to Ottawa over 20 years ago.

” I joined the Board to learn and to give back to community. My family has been a long-time client of DRA: playgroups, playground, skating, swimming lessons and camps for the boys; spinning classes for me.

I am inspired by the DRA culture and the talent of the people working for and with DRA including employees, fellow Board members, partner. They are collaborative, client-focused,  and have a “can-do” attitude.

I believe in the DRA mission of building a healthy, active and engaged community through recreation. I’m proud of my contributions to the Community Development committee:  enhancing our understanding of the community and with plans to address need gaps.

I’ve also learned about what it takes to make significant change eg implement a new registration software, survive a building expansion, the benefits of diversity of thought and power of networks and strong relationships. More recently, I have learned about managing ambiguity and resilience in times of crisis (pandemic).

I’ve made new connections and friendships and feel more like an active member of the community.”

 

I am a mom of twins, wife, former Recreation Therapist at CHEO-OCTC, a former member of the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team as a guide for one of Canada’s top blind skiers (top-ranking 2nd in the world) and now Executive Director of Abilities Centre Ottawa. 

I grew up in Westboro as a DoverKid (sports programs, swimming lessons and camps) and then Dovercourt became my first place of employment (coached T-Ball & softball, became a lifeguard and swim instructor).  I was lucky enough to have John Rapp as my first “big boss” and I continue to be grateful for his guidance as one of the most recognized leaders in the community. As a teenager, I developed so many new skills (vocational skills and life skills with the support of all the Dovercourt staff (some of whom are still part of the team)!

I wholeheartedly believe in Dovercourt’s mission and the ways in which they accomplish it (within the walls, outside the walls and as a collective team with the community).

I believe the success of a community is strengthened by inclusivity, acceptance and equitable access for all.

Why I joined DRA:

I no longer live within the Dovercourt catchment and, therefore, hold one of two positions on the board that are permitted from outside the catchment area.

I was honoured to join the board in 2018 as it was an opportunity for me to give back to an organization that gave me so much as I was growing up.

Dovercourt is so much more than a recreation centre.  It is a place that many people and many families see as the core of the community, a place they call home.  It is also an organization that gives back in more ways than you might think. Dovercourt is a Charitable organization that ensures that our diverse population has access to the many programs and services they offer and they also support the work of other social service organizations and agencies through partnerships, collaborations and in-kind support. 

The Board of Directors at Dovercourt is a wonderful group of talented individuals who all have similar visions for the centre, the community and the future. I have gained a lot of knowledge as well as new friends/colleagues through the relationships I have gained with other board members, as well as the fabulous Dovercourt staff.

Everyone has value to both offer and to gain when it comes to volunteer opportunities.  If you have ideas and knowledge to share, if you want to have a positive impact in your community (and beyond) and if you have some time to spare on a monthly basis, we are welcoming new members to the team!

My name is Alison, and I joined the Dovercourt Board of Directors in 2021. We have lived in Westboro for over a decade and during this time Dovercourt has been such an amazing resource for our family. I am passionate about fitness (as a slow but dedicated runner!), and I joined the Board to help support opportunities for our community to stay active and to champion Dovercourt’s leading approach for inclusion. I’ve learned so much during my time on the Board – not just about Dovercourt and the breadth of their community and charitable activities, but also about the business side of a non-government organization. It has been a lot of fun getting to know the other Board members and staff, and Dovercourt makes participating really easy!

The success of this great social enterprise is thanks to a long history of community leaders volunteering their time to help guide the Dovercourt Recreation Association. I feel privileged to collaborate with incredible board members who share the same passion for recreation and community building. 

The board is a diverse group of individuals who bring thoughtful perspectives to the challenges facing the DRA. I enjoy spending a couple of hours every month with them and I always learn something new. 

My family and I have taken advantage of so many of the activities available at Dovercourt. The inclusive programming and the amazing staff are what draw us in. It’s particularly important to me that the DRA continues to thrive and create quality jobs, opportunities, and experiences for our youth.

Dovercourt AGM

Read the 2022 AGM Report (pdf) from our last AGM, May 2023.

More on the Board

The principal functions of the Board of Directors include:

a) Fiduciary Oversight: Confirming that the affairs of the DRA are conducted in accordance with the law, government standards, the Association’s By- Laws and the framework of policies and guidelines established by the Board of Directors;

b) Direction Setting: Establishing the mission, vision, values, ethics, strategic direction and corporate objectives of the DRA;

c) Financial Oversight: Reviewing and approving financial plans, securing adequate financial resources for operational and capital requirements, ensuring the effective and efficient use of funding and ensuring the integrity of financial reporting for the DRA;

d) Resource Stewardship: Confirming the effective and efficient utilization of the DRA’s human capital (including Directors, staff and volunteers) and its infrastructure (including plant and equipment, and information technology assets);

e) Risk Management: Ensuring that relevant strategic risks and opportunities are systematically identified and acted upon to the benefit of the DRA;

f) Stakeholder Relations: Promoting and maintaining effective relationships with external stakeholders; and

g) Performance Evaluation: Providing oversight of the performance of the DRA, including: its operations, the Board, its Directors, and the Executive Director.

More information