Christine Whelan, FEO, October 10, 2024, VOL. 6 ISSUE 3

The founder of Advancing Crystal Beach (ACB) resigned from her position as President on September 9, leaving a legacy of love, fun and community that will be felt and seen for years to come.

Orma’s Message She Leaves With Us, After Leading By Example

“You can have an impact on your community. Dare to challenge yourself, take yourself out of your comfort zone and do stuff you have never done before. Don’t give up. That is what I hope to be my legacy.”

She continued, “If you speak up, and you get other people to speak up with you, it’s amazing what you can get done, what you never thought could happen.” She ended that line with a sparkle in her eye.

When you speak up, she included, be prepared to put on a thick skin. Not everyone will be happy with you, and that’s ok. “And then keep on going.”

Orma shared, “In my job as a nurse and in my former marriage, I kept the peace. It’s very exhilarating to not keep the peace.” Adding, “Not that I was roaring and chest-beating. That aggravates people. But if you keep asking and making good points — not garbage, do your research — and you get enough people supporting you as well, you can get somewhere.

Bleeks admitted that she learned a lot as she went along. “I accomplished things I never would have if not for being a part of ACB. This is why I challenge everyone to get out of their comfort zone, just a little bit, and try something. Who knows what you might learn how to do.” The sparkle returned. “And have great fun doing it.”

I asked Orma if this was her plan when she moved to “The Beach”. She smiled and shook her head, “Never. I came down here to retire, to relax, go to the beach every day, do nothing, maybe meet a few people, play some cards. That was going to be my life.”

Founding ACB

Orma talked about the beginning of Advancing Crystal Beach. “My friend, Arlene, and I were looking to do something with a community. I was never supposed to be the president. She was. We had three other board members. They all said they were too busy and told me I had to be president. That’s always been a giggle to me. I was going to be secretary. That was my plan.”

She made it very clear that there was no way she could have done anything without the volunteers who surrounded her along the way. They were invaluable to her.

Partnering with the Crystal Ridge Community Church

“That was a big bonus, to be able to connect and work with the church. Pastor Frank is so supportive. We brought in services that wanted to come into Crystal Beach but had no location to come to, providing people with access to services they normally couldn’t get to.”

Community Garden

Getting the grant for the community garden when ACB was only a year old and then getting the grant a couple of years later to pay a coordinator to do the farmers’ market was a highlight, according to Bleeks.

Making Connections

Orma began making more connections. “I found out about the Fort Erie Service Providers’ quarterly meetings. By going to these meetings, the network also got to know about ACB.

“Then, other things came from that. That’s how we connected with United Way. That was a big step.”

Pop-Up Market

Orma is very proud of this project which has provided many residents with fresh fruit and vegetables at an amazingly lower price than today’s trends. But she will not take the credit alone. Not by far. “It has run with some great volunteers in the community.”

In the summer of 2023, ACB, supported by United Way, began running a very successful market at the Crystal Ridge Community Church every other Thursday morning. It is still popping up these days, until the end of October.

Over the months, committed volunteers have worked together, taking the allotted money to different stores in the Niagara Region and picking up specials.

Orma says, there’s a line up from 9:30 am, waiting for the market to open at 10:00. “The produce lasts about 20 minutes. This week it lasted 17 minutes with only seven apples remaining.”

Crystal Beach Sign

“We partnered with the Crystal Beach BIA and the Town of Fort Erie and got our Crystal Beach sign.”

She smiled, “That sign is seen around the world now. People come to Crystal Beach and get their pictures taken in front of the sign. So, having a part in getting that here is something I’m proud of.”

Magical Memories Crystal Beach Museum

While Orma was a part of getting this project’s ball rolling, she feels comfortable disconnecting from it along with her title because ACB has found a museum coordinator who has taken on the task and has been cataloguing everything. “Samantha McLean, who moved here a couple of years ago, is really keen. Loves the role. Loves living here.”

Ending On Top

What seems a timely finale to Orma’s work in Crystal Beach occurred just months before her resignation. On May 30, she received the June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Voluntarism. This award recognizes individuals and groups for outstanding Voluntarism to their communities and province.

“I was very honoured, very humbled,” she admitted. “When I got the call about the award, I thought it was a prank,” she laughed.

“There were about a hundred of us who received awards. Two of us got this award.” Then all of them received the 2024 Ontario Volunteer Service Award.

“I’ve been looking for years for people to take over.” She shared that she knew her energy level was going down, along with her mobility. “When you have chronic pain, it affects your energy.”

“Karma has been good to me.” She talked about people who have come into her life recently, who are now looking to step up, into different roles within the organization.

In future days, the ACB Board will decide who will take Orma’s place as president.

Moving Forward

I asked Orma what her intentions were, for the next phase of her life. “Well, I’ve tried to do as little as possible over the last month and it’s been lovely.”

She plans on getting involved a bit with the Fort Erie Healthcare SOS organization. “I think it’s important to keep our hospital going in some format.”

Orma says she gets up in the morning when she feels like it. “I go to the beach every day when the weather is good. I have a piano I never learned how to play because I got too busy. Now I’m going to take lessons online.”

One more smile, “It’s been a fun trip.”

So, remember as you travel through your days, to take some time here and there, to challenge yourself, take yourself out of your comfort zone and know, somewhere in “The Beach”, Orma Bleeks is smiling.