Rotarian Janeen Halliwell got to know Nina March through friends and noted almost immediately how much she cared about folks. Rotary came up during a general discussion and Nina was interested as she wanted to be aligned with like-minded people. Nina was very excited to join Rotary and share a little bit about herself. Nina moved to the area to be closer to family. Her sister had moved to Napanee in 2009. They soon fell in love with the Bay of Quinte and everything it has to offer and made Belleville their home.
Nina was taught that despite adversity, always give back and make an impact, lessons learned from her mother and mother-in-law as well as her father who was very much committed to people and the community. After being invited to a BBQ by Janeen and Paul, she learned about Rotary's work in Belleville and felt it was a good fit for her. Nina spent 20 years as a teacher, working with children and helping them flourish. She built her professional career around giving people what they needed to succeed, whether they were 5 or 50. As President of the Teacher's Union in Halton, Nina found herself organizing many events, hiring staff, building capacity and meaningful experiences with her colleagues and at the same time, becoming involved in initiatives such as community gardens, Coldest Night of the Year, music events and ball games. Nina found herself advocating for both students and teachers to ensure each student was provided with the best opportunity to reach their goals. Teachers do a lot. Everyone is committed and engaged, making a positive impact wherever possible. Nina is looking forward to participating in projects for Rotary, making new friends and “filling her cup”. Past President Peter Malone thanked Nina for sharing her story and the importance of union leadership and becoming part of the family of Rotary.