Bonnie Folkard

Board Chair

Originally from Toronto and moved to Cold Lake in 2014 with 4 suitcases and lots of confidence! My passion for volunteerism and the desire to make a difference in a community, was my goal. I am now a board member for Age Friendly Cold Lake Society, Director for the Cold Lake Chamber and marketing & sales strategist for Stingray Broadcasting for the Lakeland area. My position with Stingray radio has allowed me to support local businesses and along with all my volunteer work, has given me the opportunity to see my goals to fruition. I love the city of Cold Lake, which I now call home!

Donna Taylor

Vice Chair

I was born and raised in Calgary where I worked in the oil and gas sector. My husband took a teaching position in Peace River and we have moved to a number of locations throughout Alberta since. We settled settled in Sylvan Lake area where we raised 2 daughters whiling working in real estate. I have volunteered in many capacities such as Kinettes, Christmas Bureau, president of the school PTA, Agricultural Society and Hospital Auxiliary and members of the Board for the Curling Club and Seniors Centre. After retirement we spent 8 years in Fort Macleod helping my husbands ailing cousin. We moved 2 years ago to Cold Lake and are enjoying this friendly progressive City and want to be a a helpful entity within the community.

Wayne Warner

Board of Directors, Cold Lake Men's Shed

Wayne spent over 40 years working in the retail industry, with major companies such as Hudson’s Bay, Canex, and Arctic Co-Operatives. He also spent two years outside the retail industry in Yellowknife working with the Constitutional Working Group to establish a constitution for the Northwest Territories. This involved working with all seven Indigenous groups, the government of the Northwest Territories, and the Canadian Federal government. Wayne has served on a variety of boards, including Lakeland Credit Union, Alberta Central Credit Union, The Goldeye Foundation, and various municipal boards. As the start up for the Cold Lake Men’s Shed, Wayne also serves on the board of Age Friendly Cold Lake.

Diane Jenkinson

Board of Directors

I grew up in Cold Lake, moved away to attend post-secondary institutions and to travel, then returned home to raise a family. I have lived on an acreage in the Cherry Grove area with my partner Dwight for 35 years. I had a varied career life. I was a journalist at several local papers, a Community Programmer with Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) in Bonnyville and Cold Lake and a Marketing and Communications professional with two rural (M.D. of Bonnyville and Yellowhead County) and one urban municipality (City of Cold Lake). During my working life I partnered with multiple community organizations and businesses to improve the livability of our region. Now, as a senior, I want to “age in place” and I believe the programs initiated and delivered by Age Friendly Cold Lake will allow me, and our growing senior population, to do so. I look forward to contributing my time and experience to assist in enhancing the programs delivered by Age Friendly Cold Lake.

Jody Lehr-Turco

Board of Directors

Jody is a Registered Social Worker and Certified End of Life Doula who has resided in Cold Lake since 2012. Having worked in human services her whole life, including Child Development, Family Intervention and Support Services, she is continuing to support others right her in home, the Lakeland.

John Bitz

Board of Directors

I grew up on a farm near Kindersley Saskatchewan and started working in the oil patch on the service rigs, drilling rig moves and then hired on with Imperial Oil. We transferred to Carnduff, Saskatchewan in 1987 with Imperial where we started raising our 2 kids. From there we transferred to Rainbow Lake again with Imperial where I worked in the plant and field for 6 years. We enjoyed snow sledding, hunting, fishing, coaching hockey and starting up Ducks Unlimited. We transferred to Cold Lake in 1997 where I started working as a Maintenance Planner for 18 years. I then hired on with Husky Energy and then to Devon Energy as a Maintenance Manager for 18 years until I retired in 2019. I have enjoyed coaching my son and grandsons in hockey, being a part of the Hockey Board and assisting my daughter who is a teacher, with track and field, cross country, etc. We have enjoyed extensive travelling with close friends and treasure our days on the lake fishing when we aren’t biking/hiking. I have had extensive management training and have built great working relationships with the people I have worked with over the years. I feel that I can add some value to the board and look forward to making a difference in the community.

Linda Grant

Board of Directors

Linda has lived in Cold Lake for thirty years. She is married with two grown sons. As a retired nurse, Linda worked as head nurse in Long Term Care at the Cold Lake Healthcare Centre for 25 years. She is the chair of Cold Lake Hospital Foundation and Medical Development Society, a member of Provincial Advisory Council for Seniors Health and Continuing Care, a dementia care educator, and the board chair of Age Friendly Cold Lake Society. Strong advocate for seniors issues.

Marlene Welsh

Board of Directors

I am originally from Calgary and was posted to Cold Lake with 4 Wing Air Force in 1969. I was physiotherapist for many years. My husband and I raised our family of three here and enjoyed the many benefits of Cold Lake. I enjoy cross-country skiing, aqua fit, biking, golf and playing bridge. I have always enjoyed working with seniors.

Cathy Aust

Executive Director

Cathy’s passion for seniors began in Wardsville, Ontario in 1975, where she worked in both a senior’s care facility and a seniors lodge. Since then, Cathy has spent over 50 years working in the realm of Social Services, Preventative Social Services and Program Development. In the last several years Cathy has returned to her roots and her work has been committed to seniors’ issues and making the lives of seniors in our community and our care facilities a little easier by providing outreach services through Age Friendly Cold Lake.