Lynn Moffatt hired as Exec. Dir. of Alzheimer Society

By Ken Johnston
Editor

While some people may have thought the Alzheimer Society had forgotten about fundraising efforts in the Rainy River District the fact of the matter is they were in a state of flux as they replaced their Executive Director.
On May 31, 2010 Lynn Moffatt took over the post that was vacated by long time Exec. Dir. Margaret Schonewille earlier this spring. Moffatt is a native of Kenora and has ties throughout the Rainy River District. In Rainy River she is related to Ron and Mary O’Connor.
She brings eight years of experience in the business and marketing administration field. Her previous job was as a marketing officer for Red River College in Winnipeg.
She felt the job at the Kenora-Rainy River Alzheimer Society would be a perfect fit for her skills set. “I thought it would be a neat position to utilize both my business and marketing skills,” said Moffatt last week.
The organization also has a personal connection for her. “Both my grandparents had Alzheimer Disease.”
While she is just getting settled into the new job she knows people are wondering where the organization has been. “We missed the Walk for Memories in May but I am looking at a walk later in the summer; perhaps August or September,” she explained.
Right off the hop she has found herself in an exciting new program being run by the society. It is called First Link and involves two First Link Coordinators reaching out to newly diagnosed Alzheimer’s patients. “Once a doctor gives a diagnosis First Link will be notified. They will then in turn contact the patients and offer our services.”
The Alzheimer Society offers public education and also respite care services. “We are currently in the process of replacing our Respite Center Coordinator,” said Moffatt. The former coordinator was Schonewille’s husband Dyck who retired not long after Margaret left the organization.
All regularly scheduled events throughout the district will continue as they did in the past. Moffatt said they are holding the annual Motorcycle Ride for Memories August 28th. The new cash calendars for 2011 will be available in the next few weeks and she definitely plans to have the Linda Johnston Memorial Supper in Rainy River and the Fort Frances Chef’s Dinner again in the new year.
“I am looking forward to renewing existing contacts in the area and making new ones! We are always looking for volunteers which are so very important to our organization,” said Moffatt.