Ongutoi Heath Centre, Water Collection for Sustainability From Concept to Reality.
Richard was born in Toronto and grew up in Scarborough where he attended Public and Secondary school as well as University of Toronto Scarborough Campus. Richard graduated in 1981 with a major in economics and a minor in computer science. Richard is married Elizabeth and lives in Newmarket. Richard and Elizabeth have also hosted 7 international exchange students for a year at a time.
Richard is currently self employed as a licensed Mortgage Broker with Homeguard Funding Ltd. and primarily specializes in residential and small commercial financing.
Richard has always been passionate about community involvement serving as a member of the Scarborough campus Alumni association, worked on multiple political campaigns at all levels of government and taught the Boating Course for the Canadian Power Squadron in Newmarket.
Richard has since served on many municipal committees and the community liaison committee for York Regional Police in District 1. In 2004 Richard was asked to join the inaugural board of directors for INN from the Cold an emergency homeless shelter in Newmarket in 2004 through 2009. Through the support of the Rotary Club of Newmarket for Inn from the Cold Richard learned about Rotary and joined Rotary in 2007.
Richard became President of the Newmarket club in 2009 and was an Assistant Governor for District 7070 from 2011 – 2014 and is currently the District 7070 Water and Sanitation chair 2015-present previously the District 7070 Literacy Chair for 2014-2015. Richard has also participated with RADAR (Rotary’s AIDS action group).
Richard is currently the President of Rotary Club of Newmarket, member of District 7070 Leadership team 2020-2022 in the role as Action and Partnership Committees Coordinator to oversee and assist all Rotary Area of Focus Committees.
In 2009 Richard made his first trip to Uganda and has returned to Uganda 24 times, most recently December 2019. This was Richard’s twenty fourth time to Uganda to continue implementing a unique rain-water collection system at Ongutoi Health Centre for drip irrigation in an orange orchard where the revenue generated will provide long term free health care for this community and region.
Awards & Recognitions:
2005 – Town of Newmarket 125th Anniversary - Community Volunteer Ambassador Recognition
2009 – Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Service Award
2011 – Rotary District 7070 – Council of Past District Governors Award
2020 – Spirit of Success – Entrepreneur of the Year, East Gwillimbury Chamber of Commerce