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Mary Nemcsok

Mary Nemcsok was born in 1951, in Kingston, Ontario, a third daughter for her father, John Campbell and her mother, Margaret May. Following high school at Regiopolis College in Kingston, Mary attended Queen's University and graduated with a BSc. (Hons) in Microbiology. In 1974, following graduation, she and her husband George moved to Kirkland Lake.

Mary's favourite sport is swimming. She took lessons at the Kirkland Lake Pool in the 1980's and continues to swim lengths on a regular basis. She continues to play piano, guitar and loves to sing.

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Their first child was born in 1976 and Mary decided to be a stay-at-home mom. That decision prompted a long time commitment to volunteering, in any way she could with the many activities that her seven children, two boys and five girls, took part in: school, dance, swimming, karate, Army Cadets, skiing, cycling, drama and figure skating.

All seven Nemcsok children belonged to the Kirkland Lake Skating Club and although Mary does not skate at all (she is in fact a little afraid of ice), she saw an opportunity within the club to use her talents to help make the club a viable organization that provides the children of Kirkland Lake with a sport that brings them fun, fitness and a sense of personal achievement in a safe, friendly environment.
Mary's eldest daughter joined the club in 1979 and Mary slowly took on simple tasks like handing out badges and simple sewing for the Annual Ice Show. Since joining the Executive of the Skating Club, she has held the position of Canskate and Junior Rep, Ice Show Chair, Nevada and Fundraising. In 1994, Mary took on the position of Ice Show Costume Chair, a position she continues to hold.

In 2004, she accepted the position of President of the Kirkland Lake Skating Club. At the time it seemed a daunting, almost impossible task, but with the help of those around her, the Club Coaches, the Executive and her family she has learned the ropes and continues to enjoy the day-to-day administration of the Skating Club. But Mary never loses sight of why she does it all: she loves the children, right from the little ones who can barely stand up to the teenagers whom she considers to be friends despite the age difference.

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Mary Nemcsok
Circa 2012
Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada


Credits:
Image from Northern News

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Mary has also volunteered many hours to other youth groups in the community. From 1992 to 2005, Mary spent countless hours volunteering for the Kirkland Lake Army Cadets, while three of her children reaped the benefits of this youth organization. She transported cadets to various campsites, sewed achievement badges to uniforms, and often opened her house to cadets for practicing skills that needed honing. At the schools, Mary participated in Fundraisers, hotdog days, belonged to the KLCVI/ KLDCS Parent Support Group for the Music Department, volunteered in the Library and often went as Parent Supervisor on class trips.

Although her youngest left town in the fall of 2011 to attend university, Mary has no immediate plans to step away from her volunteer commitment. Her love for the children and youth whose lives she touches, and her respect and friendships she makes with their parents, fulfill a need to be involved in the community that has been her home for close to forty years.