Tag Archives: Hollyhock

Education

Visit 2040 with The Cortes island Academy

The Cortes Island Academy’s third semester is wrapping up and in this year’s end showcase the students are taking the audience on an imaginative visit to the year 2040. It starts at 7:00 this Thursday, January 13, 2025 at Mansons Hall.  

 “A really important part of the Cortes Island Academy is our year end showcase where the students are  given the task of finding a way to share some of the  learning that they’ve gone through in the semester in a form that is digestible for the community at large. So they put on this big event which is supposed to be fun and compelling and also spark the imagination of the citizenry of Cortes and the surrounding islands.  We are really hoping that a lot of people will come out. I’m quite proud of the way the students have really taken things a different way this year,” explained Executive Director Manda Aufochs Gillespie.

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Business

A Closer look at Cortes Island’s Economy

When the Cortes Island Foundation released Cortes Island’s Vital Signs Report last month, Executive Director Manda Aufochs Gillespie said she’d like to go into specific sections in more detail. 

“One of the things that really stood out to me is the information around income and work and economy.  This area starts around page 13 in this document and I’m going to be using a lot of words to talk about this, but when you look at the report there’s graphs,  little quotes and etc. that make it easier to read.”

She suggested inviting Kate Maddigan, from the Cortes Community Economic Development Association (CCEDA), to get another perspective.   

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Education

Beginning Of The Cortes Island Academy’s Third Year

The Cortes Island Academy’s third year starts on Tuesday September 3, 2024. Executive Director Manda Aufochs Gillespie explained that there are a number of innovative new programs this semester as well as popular facilitators from previous years. The Mother Tree Network, Hakai Intitute, Hollyhock and Power of Hope are all contributing partners. For the first time ever, there are also still some last minute spots available for new students.

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Community, Health, Spirituality

Heather Deeth: Hollyhock’s new Interim Executive Director

As of this morning, Heather Deeth has been the Interim Executive Director of Hollyhock for 19 days. Cortes Currents caught up with her on Sunday to talk about the changes in her life, as well as what’s happening in one of the most dynamic retreat centres on the West Coast. 

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Business, Community

Peter Wrinch moving on from being CEO of Hollyhock

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Peter Wrinch is stepping down from his position as CEO of Hollyhock. 

“My last day will be July 31st this year. That will be exactly seven years, to the day,” he explained.

“The reason I’m leaving is a much deeper question. I’m 49 years old.  I’m turning 50 next year.  This is my second job as an executive director or CEO.  When I finished the first one, I said, ‘Well, I will never do that job again” and then a few years later, I took on this role. 

Coming into Hollyhock, I had very little sense of the depth and warmth and connection of this place. I also knew that I would not stay forever.  I’m so happy that I got to experience the love that is Hollyhock. And, I am clear that my purpose at this stage of my life is to figure out how to support organizational leaders instead of being one myself. I’ve thought about this quite deeply and see this ending as a call to a deeper purpose. 

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