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Even though her family couldn’t see it, Margaret knew there was much more to gain in a small, northern community.

Her presence was certainly apparent in the community: she was one of the original members of the Anglican Women’s Association, she was a member of the founding committee of the Red Cross Hospital, she was the first librarian in Red Lake’s public library, she officially opened both the Pioneer Club and the Museum, she founded Red Lake’s first Art Club which persuaded Group of Seven painter A.Y. Jackson to sketch here, and she began writing "Red Lake Report" for The District News in her 50s.

Her dedication to the church was recognized with a plaque presentation in 1977 followed by a bishop naming her “The First Lady of Red Lake,” and her work in the community was honoured in 1984 with the Ontario Bicentennial Medal and in 1990 she received The Ontario Senior Achievement Award.

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Margaret McDougall passed away in 1997 in her 100th year, but left a few words of wisdom to her children: “Just because you live in the bush doesn’t mean that you don’t speak properly or you don’t act properly. You don’t have to be out of touch with everything because you have it right here.”