Our Team

Barb Young

As an informal caregiver for many years, often serving low income and others who fell through the cracks in the healthcare system, I learned first-hand the positive impact that good social supports have on quality of life, especially for the most vulnerable.

While I bring six years of tertiary-level education to my role as co-founder and president of our newly-formed corporation, it is the depth of understanding I acquired from all these years immersed in the personal lives of others that gives me the confidence to say this: The Highlands North Network will serve on the grassroots-level to support social and recreational opportunities for those living in more rural and remote areas of our township, better appreciation and value for the community halls and other physical spaces that serve as hubs for social health, and more respect, appreciation, support and value for those who serve tirelessly as leaders in the social health realm.

The World Health Organization defines health this way: the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Now, more than ever, the government is recognizing the impact that good social supports have on overall health and well-being, and we look forward to all the possibilities that this could bring for organizations like ours that will be paving the way for a happier and healthier tomorrow, one social health initiative at a time.

Nancy, came to Ottawa in 1971 from Lake Megantic in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. She moved to Tatlock, Darling Township in 1976 to settle and raise a family with her recently departed husband Dan Jibb. Mother of three and now grandmother to seven keeps her busy along with involvement with Tatlock Hall and HNN.

For the last 15 years taking an active role with the Hall and with the founding and implementation of HNN. Provincial Community Funding and the Seniors Active Living Centre (SALC) programs involve an extraordinary amount of time at the computer which she thought she had retired from when leaving Public Works of Canada where she had worked for 33 years.

Nancy, instrumental in obtaining grants, along with neighbours helped finish Tatlock Hall basement, installed a Play Structure and developed the “Field of Dreams” in Tatlock. Also, New Horizon grants offered her the opportunity to publish a series of 10 booklets of neighbouring people and their farms in Darling Township and surrounding areas. The Heritage Book Series. St. Peter’s United Church 100th and 125th Anniversaries were also celebrated with publications. The passing of the local historian Max Sutherland made the publishing of his stories a must for her, in a book he had pre-named “Wild Lands of the Crown – Essays on the History of Darling Township”. Relaxation includes a swim in Robb’s Lake whenever possible, at least a weekly round of bid euchre and the occasional marathon of bridge. Travels have taken her to Europe, through Canada to Alaska twice and to various southern states. Nancy’s passion for HNN – and ‘well being’ is the realization that COVID put a dampener on activities that were previously thriving in the surrounding community of Tatlock. To get people together again was going to take a lot of effort but there were not enough people to encourage others to come out in the small existing communities. ‘Build and they shall come’ was what was needed. Once activities get rolling things will pick up but to get things rolling would require help. Reaching out Nancy found other halls in the same situation. It was obvious that working together would provide the necessary strength to once again get the communities interacting to the extent that they were prior to COVID. The community grants available at this time are crucial in achieving the goals after such a lull in activities. Thanks to the SALC Programs we are on the road to recovery.

Larry Paquette

Larry grew up in the small French community of Perrault, just ten kilometers south of Eganville in the Ottawa Valley. He attended a one-room schoolhouse from grades 1 to 8 and graduated from Eganville High School in 1966.

That same year, Larry began his career in the Federal Government and enrolled in an accounting program by correspondence through McMaster University, later continuing at Carleton. In 1973, he earned his Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation. Over 37 years in the Federal Public Service, Larry held various senior positions in financial management and audit, with 32 of those years spent at the Department of Finance.

Larry and his wife, Jane, lived in Ottawa before settling in Kinburn from 1974 to 2005. They later moved to Darling White Lake, where they continue to enjoy life surrounded by nature. Together, they have two children and five grandchildren.

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​Larry has always been deeply involved in his community and has a long history of volunteer work. He currently serves as a Director of the Highlands North Network and the Darling White Lake Centre, where he has been active since 2013. He led the work group that produced the "Darling White Lake Roads Study Report" from 2023 to 2024 and was instrumental in organizing the Department of Finance United Way fundraising campaign from 1998 to 2003. Over the years, Larry has also held leadership roles in the Fitzroy Harbour men’s softball league, the West Carleton Sportsman’s Club, and served as a Boy Scouts (Cub) leader. Additionally, he contributed his financial expertise as an auditor for the Kinburn Community Centre. In his spare time, Larry enjoys woodworking, gardening, hunting, fishing, and reading—hobbies that reflect his love for nature and hands-on creativity.

Frank Sodonis

Frank met his wife Taina 44 years ago. She came to the family cottage on Flower Round Lake from the age of 1. Frank and Taina summered at Flower Round until 15 years ago, when they decided to call Flower Round and the Lanark Highlands their permanent home. Frank and Taina’s love of the outdoors and wilderness made this a very easy decision. Their 3 children and 3 grandchildren have also grown to love this special area.

Frank has a Degree in Geography and spent his entire career in various areas of the Mapping production and Mapping IT related industries. Frank proudly founded QSP Geographics Inc in the basement of his house in 1989, and grew the Company to 90 employees, with offices in Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary. Frank is a self proclaimed “map geek” and being able to do what he loved made for a very satisfying work life. Work allowed him to travel across Canada, the United States, parts of Europe, the Middle East and India. Frank has worked with every level of Government from Federal to Municipal, the United Nations, all Utility segments and taught briefly at Toronto Metropolitan University.

To stay active, Frank is a Competitive Swimmer, starting out in High School, through

University and continuing on as a Masters Swimmer. Frank has been a part of multiple Canadian Masters Relay Records, and competed at the FINA Masters World Championships at Stanford University in 2006. Frank has been a Lifeguard, Masters Swim Coach, Scuba Diver with CFB Downsview, and volunteer Special Olympics Swim Coach.

The HNN is the fourth volunteer Board Frank has sat on. The others being; President, York Swim Club, Perth Stingrays Swim Club, and the North Lavant Community Centre as HNN Liaison.

As maps have evolved through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Frank is building robust data sets all about Lanark Highlands and Lanark County, to provide location intelligence that can be utilized by the HNN to help transform decision making and help to optimize the efforts of the HNN.