Board AGM Cocktail: Celebrating the Past and Present Innovators of Salus
On the evening of June 22nd 2023, Salus innovators of past and present gathered at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club for our Board AGM Cocktail. The evening was filled with warmth, nostalgia, and a shared commitment to our mission that has united so many people – to provide supportive housing and mental health services to adults experiencing severe and persistent mental illness.
We were honoured to be joined by two of Salus’ co-founders, Dr. Alistair Catterson and former Mayor of Ottawa, Jackie Holzman. Dr. Catterson inspired the crowd with his keynote speech that detailed the founding story of Salus dating back to the 1970s. Dr. Catterson shared that after a long career in psychiatry, one of his highlights was founding Salus, and he is proud to know that Ottawa is truly a better place because of the work Salus does in our city. We are forever grateful to our incredible co-founders for seeing individuals for more than their mental illness, and for believing that a stable home is essential for wellbeing.
As the evening progressed, we celebrated Board members and Committee members that have contributed to Salus’ growth and success. We are grateful to our Past Board Chair, Camille Therriault-Power for her exceptional leadership and dedication to Salus, who also sponsored the beautiful event space at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. Camille had the opportunity to acknowledge and thank our outgoing Board members, Sanjay Srivastava, Myles Kirvan, Lindsay Taub, and Harpreet Grewal for their contributions. They have dedicated their time, expertise, and unwavering support to Salus over the years.
We were thrilled to welcome Janet Yale as our incoming Board Chair, and look forward to working with her to drive our mission forward. Janet warmly welcomed four new incoming Board members: Kevin Yemm, Tadiwa Muradzikwa, Jason MacDonald, and Rachel Baxter. Their diverse expertise and skills will further enrich our Board and contribute to Salus’ continued growth.
The evening ended with a special announcement from Mark MacAulay, Salus’ President & CEO. Looking to the near future, Salus is proud to be leading Canada’s first Aging in the Right Place building here in Ottawa on Capilano Drive. The building will provide stable housing and appropriate mental health supports for our aging population – providing hope, home and dignity for Ottawa’s aging population.
To each and every Salus Board and Committee member past and present – thank you for contributing your unique skills and establishing Salus’ roots and reputation. You are all an important part of our history of opening 6,859 doors for Salus clients since 1977 and making Salus the organization it is today.
Watch our video below for beautifully captured highlights of the evening!