www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, November 27, 2014 | 12 Former citizenship court judge speaker at Prayer Breakfast by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff Dr. Pamela Appelt is a fixture at the annual Oakville Prayer Breakfast. She's been a regular attendee since it began 31 years ago and has often been asked to read scripture and prayers. This year, she will be its guest speaker. And Appelt believes even those who know her well will come away from the Dec. 3 event with a better understanding of the experiences that helped shape her as a person. "I consider myself an outgoing person, but there are many aspects people don't know about me," she said, "about the challenges I've faced and about my faith walk." Appelt's faith walk is her journey living her life with purpose and what has brought her here. She grew up in Jamaica. At a young age, Appelt's parents moved to England and she was raised by her grandmother. As a teenager, she spent her summers in England with her parents and eventually moved there to attend university and study sciences. Dr. Pamela Appelt Both her grandparents and parents instilled a strong belief in her. "I'm not here by chance, I'm here by divine plan," she said. "As I got older, I started to realize, I'm not on this planet by chance. I'm here for a purpose and to lead a purposedriven life, to give and do whatever I can to help others." Appelt came to McGill University in Montreal as a researcher in medical biochemistry in 1966 and "met a blue-eyed man who thinks I'm something special. Movember Special Menu 3 Course Dinner $35 Now thru November 30th $5 from every MoMenu order goes to Movember charities 1715 Lakeshore Road West 905 822 5751 www.michaelsbackdoor.com Forty-seven years later, I'm still here." She moved to Oakville in 1979 with her husband and two children. She is an active member of numerous community and national organizations, including: the Christian Women's Club, Ontario Black History Society, Canadian Multiculturalism Council and is a founding member of the Black Business and Professional Association, the Harry Jerome Awards and Scholarship Fund and the Black-Jewish dialogue of B'Nai Brith Canada. She has previously served on the boards of the United Way of Greater Toronto, the Oakville Community Foundation and Healthy Community Funders of Halton. She is a patron for PACE (Project for Advancement of Childhood Education) in Jamaica and Canada, the International Center for Human Rights and Democratic Development. In 1987, she became the first female AfroCanadian to serve as a judge of the Court of Canadian Citizenship. Having lived in three countries, she was very honoured to hold the position for 11 years before retiring. "Can you imagine having the honour of granting citizenship? Telling someone, `Now you're Canadian.' It was quite emotional," she said. "I met people who had been through torture and wars and they were coming to Canada to make a better life for families. Often times, we take Canada for granted." see Granting on p.18 A Ch ild 's Holi d ay Wish List This coming holiday season, not every child will wish for the same things. November is Woman Abuse Prevention Month. One out of every four women will be abused at some point in her life. Halton Women's Place needs your help to close the door on abuse. s e is u r b e r o m 2. No or tears. 3. Help my family feel safe again. om 1. Stop Daddy fr g yelling and hittin ime. t e h t ll a y m m Mo Halton Women's Place In November, wear your purple scarf. Purchase yours at Halton Women's Place. For more information, please call 905-332-1200 ext.221 or visit www.haltonwomensplace.com Crisis Line: 905-878-8970 or 905-332-7892