Volunteers congregate in the lobby of the club house at Baxter Creek Golf Club last week to celebrate their extensive contributions to the community. In turn, club owners graciously paid for the entire event, saying thank you in a tangible way to those who work tirelessly to serve the 453 Community Care Clients who relied on their services last year.
Karen Morton’s 15 years of service was recognized at the Community Care Volunteer Appreciation event
Last week, Millbrook Community Care organized their annual Volunteer Appreciation Lunch at Baxter Creek Golf Club. Guests were treated to a lovely lunch as well as the opportunity to share their stories with other volunteers who provide a variety of services to local seniors but rarely have the opportunity to meet.
The Millbrook Community Care organization is staffed with 69 volunteers who served 453 clients during the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2026, donating more than 10,660 hours of work which is the equivalent of 5.9 full-time employees. Their efforts delivered 3,423 meals and 308 grocery deliveries; provided 3,012 friendly calls and visits, 354 home help and maintenance visits, 2,328 drives to appointments and hosted 4,478 exercise classes. The organization also organizers social events such as coffee breaks and monthly luncheons to help address social isolation, a key factor in the mental health of seniors.
The event was marked by the recognition of significant service milestones among volunteers, including 10 years of service for Barbara Steel, Claire Van Loon, Patricia Ward and Cathy Lunn, and 25 years of service from Ruth Deyell.
Peterborough Community Care is a non-profit organization that operates 8 satellite offices across Peterborough County in locations including Millbrook, Buckhorn, Lakefield, Norwood and Havelock. These organizations provide services to seniors and adults with physical challenges, empowering them to remain independent and to live at home. Community Care offices across the province receive partial funding from the Ministry of Health, but rely on local fundraising efforts to provide almost half of their financial needs. This financial support arrives through donations, services fees (for transportation services), partnerships and grants. In Millbrook, funds are generated through revenue generated through sales from its “New to You” items available at the Millbrook office.
The Millbrook office is managed by Community Development Coordinator Karen Morton, who is the only paid staff member at this location. Her service was also recognized at the event by members of Peterborough Community Care, which provides over-sight for the services delivered in Peterborough County. As of next month, Karen will have worked for Community Care for fifteen years, arriving in Millbrook in November, 2012,and what an impact she has made. Her energy, compassion and work ethic has earned her the respect and appreciation of her volunteers and clients.
Baxter Creek Golf Club owners demonstrate their ongoing commitment to the local community by providing the Volunteer Luncheon free of charge and limiting their golf tournaments to a single event: the Annual Advantage Charity Golf Tournament organized by local realtor and entrepreneur Chris Schier. In its 13th year, this event has been a consistent supporter of Millbrook Com-munity Care, funneling more than $100,000 to the local branch over its twelve year history thanks to the efforts of Schier and the support of the roughly 120 enthusiastic golfers who show up each year.
There are many ways to support this local organization.
Karen Morton is always looking for volunteers, particularly drivers to take clients to medical appointments that often require trips to Toronto. Other volunteer opportunities include providing office help, delivering meals or groceries, and calling to catch up with customers who are on their own. Direct donations of cash or items for the thrift shop are always welcome. Golf enthusiasts can mark their calendars for this year’s golf tournament scheduled for September 12th while businesses can sponsor hole or provide a prize for the tournament.
During the event, it was noted that many supporters have a personal motivation for supporting this organization, recognizing that while they may currently be volunteers, many will ultimately transition to clients, bringing fresh meaning to the notion of doing unto others what you would have done unto you.
Thank you to everyone who supports Millbrook Community Care as it delivers for our community.