On اپریل 9th, Mind Forward celebrated an important milestone in our history with a Celebration of Legacy and Service, where we honoured two individuals whose vision and leadership helped share the organization we are today.
Carol Williams, our founder and former Executive Director, and Brad Goegan, our longstanding Board Chair, were recognized for their extraordinary contributions through the official naming of two of our residential programs. Our Oakville residence, formerly known as “West”, has been renamed Williams House, and our Transitional Residence for Specialized Learning (TRSL) is now Goegan House.
The formal celebration at head office welcomed over 60 staff, clients, board members, and friends. Stephen Dasko, Ward 1 City Councillor, shared the following words: “It was a pleasure to attend the dedication of the plaques for two sites of Mind Forward Brain Injury Services. Longstanding Board Chair, Brad Goegan, was honoured with the naming of the Cawthra location, and Carol Williams, former Executive Director, of the Oakville location.”
We were also proud to welcome back individuals who played pivotal roles in shaping Mind Forward in its early years, including former Program Director, Scott Farraway, Psychologist, Dr. Colin Pryor, former Board Chair, John Roe, and others including Neil Ekels, Marnie Murdoch, and Barb McGuire. Their presence added another layer of perspective and reminded us of how far the organization has come over the past 34 years.
Scott, John, Vice-Chair of the Board, Tom Jakubowski, and CEO Hunter Saggar delivered speeches that reflected on the journey from those early days, where services for individuals with ABI were limited, to the comprehensive, community-based supports Mind Forward provides today. That journey all started with a simple but very powerful idea that people living with brain injury deserved access to local supports after leaving the hospital. In the early 1990’s, Carol led the development of a proposal that would ultimately secure funding to establish one of the first community-based residential programs of its kind in Ontario.
From those beginnings, starting with the creation of TRSL as a learning-focused residential environment, the organization has grown steadily, and expanded its programs and services to meet the evolving needs of the brain injury community.
The next day, the celebration continued as we welcomed Carol and Brad to Williams House and Goegan House. Staff and clients gathered on site to mark the occasion in a more personal way, celebrating the lasting impact these leaders have had. A representative from the Town of Oakville also attended to present a certificate of recognition to Carol.
We extend our sincerest thanks to everyone who helped bring this event to life and to those who joined us to celebrate this important moment.
The legacy of Carol Williams and Brad Goegan is now permanently woven into the fabric of Mind Forward. Their impact will continue to be felt – not only in the buildings that bear their names, but in the lives of the individuals and families we support every day.
