Our Conversation with Joan Harvey, Marg Reid and Willie VanLankvelt

This month we are talking with three former MFRC Executive Directors who have  recently retired from their positions in Goose Bay, Greenwood and Shilo.

Our co-host Claudia Beswick also added some insight, as she too recently left her position as the ED in Petawawa to take on a different role supporting military families.

With all of this experience and collective knowledge, we talk about:

• how life has changed for Military families over the last twenty years
• their proudest moments at their MFRCs
• why families being posted to Shilo Goose Bay, Greenwood and Petawawa should be excited about life in their new communities; and
• advice for leaders taking on new roles

About our Guests:

Joan Harvey worked at the Goose Bay Military Family Resource Centre for 25 years, 12 of those as Executive Director. Prior to Goose Bay Joan lived in Petawawa for 5 years with her husband who was a military medic. In 1997 they were posted back home to Goose Bay and when her husband was medically released they made it their permanent home. During her 30 year career of working within the Military Community Joan has the pleasure and honour of meeting many people and providing services and programs in an ever changing environment and working with an awesome team. Along with her husband’s military career Joan also spend 23 years as a part time reservist working the Royal Canadian Army Cadets as a CIC (Cadet Instructor Cadre) officer. 

Marg Reid is proud military spouse whose husband served for 38 years. Her son is a currently serving CAF Member on his 2nd overseas deployment. Marg started with the Greenwood MFRC in March 1995 as our social worker, and moved to other positions including the coordinator of Deployment Services.  Marg becoming ED IN 2008 and retired in November 2023.

Willemien VanLankvelt was born in the Netherlands and moved to Canada 43 years ago. She spent her entire career working in the non-profit sector - 17 of those years in Shilo at the MFRC. She retired in October 2023.  She has 3 children and 5 grandkids. 

Trigger Warning

Today’s conversation we talk about the Afghanistan years and some incidents involving suicide, death and injury in the Military community.  We know these topics can be difficult for some of our listeners- so please take care.