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10 THE GEORGETOWN GEMINI WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 1996 New ASSIC boss faces tough challenges in new assignment BY FRANCES NIBLOCK The Georgetown Gemini Rosslyn Dowell will return to her roots when she takes e per sq. ft e pre-finished e 3colours in stock e installation available Brampton Garpet 10 Wilkinson Road Brampton 451-5641 over as ASSIC's new execu- Dowell was a career civil servant with Health and Wel- TOMKENROAD fare Canada on maternity leave, when she learned that ASSIC boss Peggy Balkind though my academic back- was retiring. 7x" Oak Flooring ee 300 YARDS EAST OF TOMKEN "This will be a good fit," Dowell explains, "because al- ground is in gerontology and aging, and I had been work- ing in senior management positions in the Federal gov- ernment, my volunteer work had remained in the aging field." Dowell, now the mother of two small boys, says the job came just when the time was right for her to stop com- muting and travelling for business. "When Peggy retired, I de- cided to apply for the job because I thought it was time in my life to get back to my roots and work with a social service agency, and I wanted to work in Halton Hills," Dowell says. Dowell gained a good gen- eral knowledge of the com- munity while working on a local committee with ASSIC and other social service agency staffto try to launcha pilot project for a multi-serv- ice agency, a plan that died with the former NDP gov- ernment. Dowell says the greatest challenge facing ASSIC is finding funding -- with usual funding shrinking, it is be- coming quite competitive. "Because I spentanumber of years on the other end of the funding business -- re- ceiving proposals -- my ex- perience in grant writing and my network of potential fund- ing sources was seen as an asset by the ASSIC Board," says Dowell, noting another strength she will bring to the job is her experience in man- aging the human resources side of change. In the immediate future, the ASSIC Board will likely wantto look at what the great- est needs in Acton and Halton Hills are at this point time with a community survey or needs assessment. "We have a sense that things are changing and that there might be a need for programs for people who are unemployed or seeking other opportunities. We need to knowhow ASSIC mighthelp and remain relevant. "We are also looking to provide some leadership in the seniors area as commu- nity-based services develop in Georgetown," Dowell adds, noting that ASSIC sen- iors coordinator Sue Haggith is now at the Georgetown Seniors Centre once a week to provide information serv- ices. Dowell, anative or Orillia, . attended the University of Guelph for her undergradu- ate degree and then received a Masters in Gerontology from the University of South Florida. After working in Ottawa Dowell moved to Georget- own with her family in 1989. She will spend the sum- mer working on some fund- ing proposals that have dead- lines and prepare for her offi- cial start Sept. 3. GO train service to the Exhibition As the Canadian National Exhibition fast approaches, GO Transit is reminding pas- sengers ttaking the train is a cheap and effective alterna- tive to get to the CNE, Aug. 16 to Sept. 2. Day passes and group passes allow a day's unlim- ited travel to and from Exhi- bition station, and adult monthly pass holders can take a companion along free on GO Transit on weekends and Labour Day Monday. Exhi- bition GO station is in the heart of the CNE Grounds. The service is also run- ning extra trains during the air show, at 11. am and noon, Aug. 31- Sept.2. For further information call GO Transit at (519) 853- 0572. CENTRE COUR --- GEORGETOWN MARKETPLACE '280 Guelph Street, Geor. *KIDPRINT IDENTIFICATION VIDEO WILL BE MADE WITH NO CHARGE IF YOU BRING YOUR OWN VIDEO TAPE "WHILE SUPPLIES LAST