Board of Directors
Meet the the 2024/25 Board of Directors of the Sooke Elderly Citizens Housing Society (SECHS), which manages Ayre Manor Seniors Housing.
If you are interested in learning more about serving on our Board of Directors, please contact admin@ayremanor.ca
Irene Todd
CHAIR
Irene moved to Sooke in the fall of 2020 from a family farm in western Manitoba. On the farm, she and her husband Brian raised three children, grew organic grains, and kept a flock of sheep. Irene originally trained as a music educator and, along with helping on the farm, she taught music and many other subjects to all ages in several rural schools. She assisted at Brandon University when a bassoonist was needed and volunteered and sat on the board of the Midwest Arts Council for 6 years. She was also an active volunteer at Personal Care Homes in the local region while she participated in the care of both of her parents. She is very pleased to see a similar arrangement of different levels of care available at Ayre Manor as was available in the small towns near her Manitoba home and is looking forward to working with other board members.
Georgina Patko
VICE CHAIR
Georgina is recently retired from her 30 year career as a Non-Profit Management Consultant. The work enabled her to experience a number of roles in the non-profit sector particularly in the areas of fundraising, social media and community engagement. Her goals are always to work in an environment that satisfies her heart while making the world a better place when she can. Ayre Manor is one of those places that is vital to the community and speaks to her soul. Georgina moved from the Lower Mainland and has been living in Sooke for three years. She adores it here, the quality of life when matched by the nature of her surroundings make her feel that giving back is essential to the balance in her life. She has three adult children and two little grandchildren who are both recent, wonderful, additions to her very full life.
Lucinda Welch
TREASURER
Lucinda Welch is a professional accountant and entrepreneur calling Sooke home since 2006, being drawn to the beauty and access to nature to explore. Her happiest place is outdoors in the woods with her dogs.
Lucinda held senior leadership positions in various corporations prior to starting her own business in the accounting and finance sector. She looks at the big picture and all the components that keep an organization moving forward with strength and strategic direction.
Coming from a family with many members in the medical community along with being the main carer for her parents as they moved through their senior years from independent, to assisted and then to full care, Lucinda had many opportunities to learn about various care levels, support for seniors and types of care homes. She feels Ayre Manor is so important to the community and considers herself privileged to be a board member.
Beth Cox
SECRETARY
Beth is a recently retired lawyer and municipal judge. She also has a background in business, social work and health care management. Beth and her husband Mike recently moved to Sooke from the United States as permanent Canadian residents and look forward to becoming Canadian citizens. Beth enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, tennis, raising dogs, and cooking.
Christine Richard
DIRECTOR
Christine Richard has been a resident of Sooke since 2012 and currently works at Royal Roads University as a Capital Program Coordinator, having held various roles there over the past 12 years. She is pursuing a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Leadership, expected to be completed in October 2024. Christine has volunteered with organizations such as the 89 Pacific Cadets, Boy Scouts, Military Family Resource Centre, and Branch 91 Legion. She currently also serves on the Esquimalt MFRC Board of Directors and is passionate about risk and governance, finance, and community engagement.
In her free time, Christine enjoys hiking with her dog in the Sooke hills and spending quality time with her husband and her two older children. She looks forward to contributing to the Ayre Manor board, recognizing its excellence in resident care and community impact.
Christy Willoughan
DIRECTOR
Christy is a proud new resident of Sooke with her family and two dogs. She is passionate about helping others, nature and art. As an experienced palliative care Registered Nurse and entrepreneur, she is ready to contribute to the quality of life in our beautiful community.
Franklin Work
DIRECTOR
Frank Work, KC(AB) retired to Sooke after a career as a lawyer spanning corporate law, Parliamentary Counsel (AB), and Information and Privacy Commissioner for Alberta. He has a degree in Environmental Design and has been involved in various environmental projects over the years.
Frank loves Sooke and, by way of giving back to the community, is looking forward to being a Director of Ayre Manor, serving seniors in Sooke, a real community-run success story.
Ayre Manor Organization Chart
