I’m a leading edge baby boomer living in London, Ontario. Like many others of my generation, I tuned in, turned on and dropped out. A lot has happened since those days. I’ve been a wife, mother, career woman and care giver. Today, I encourage and help older adults to stay active, involved and engaged in their communities. I challenge other older women to start a blog and start telling their stories. I also provide practical advice and mentoring support to help older women communicate their life experiences.
Blame it on my transistor radio
I spent my early teen years innocently enough. At one time, I loved the idea of being a nun. I went to a Catholic school, played sports, took piano lessons and listened to my new transistor radio. That’s when I tuned in to CKLW Radio – The Big 8 and it all went downhill from there. Maybe it was uphill. It all depends on your perspective. At that time, a young songwriter/piano player named Carole King and the talented girl groups of Motown hit the airwaves. I credit them for unlocking my passion for creative self expression (go go dancing) and independence (leaving home.) It’s a typical story of the times, I guess. A pink transistor radio was my technology of the day and it gave me my ticket to freedom. I few months later, I was in a big city in the midst of a cultural revolution.
At the young age of 16, I packed a bag and landed in a hippie Mecca, known as Yorkville in Toronto, Ontario. We called it “The Village.” During the sixties, Yorkville was bustling with weekend hippies. A few of us lived there and it was part of the theatre of our everyday lives. We were poets, musicians, artists, writers and other cultural creatives.
I dared to dream that I could be a musician. It was a romantic idea and I just wanted to see if I could do it. A Toronto talent agent was impressed by my persistence and enthusiasm. He invited me to help form a group called The Living Dolls. At the time, there were few all-female groups in North America who also played instruments. With my limited musical training, I ended up being the key member of the group even though I was the youngest.
A band of traveling gypsies
Like the New York based group, Goldi and the Gingerbreads, The Living Dolls took to the road. We traveled from one small town to the next in a rusted out station wagon. For a young woman from Southwestern Ontario, it was an amazing and unconventional life adventure. I met hundreds of other musicians and I was lucky to have great coaches – most notably Garth Hudson from The Band. The Living Dolls worked continuously until it was time to leave the stage and the road behind us.
In 1968, my biological clock was ticking loudly. I married my teenage sweetheart – a popular Canadian entertainer and recording artist. We settled in downtown Toronto where I gave birth to a beautiful son in 1972. Not surprisingly, the marriage ended in 1979. I was torn between a desire to be a stay at home mom and the necessity of earning a living, I was a high school drop out and a single mom Things looked pretty grim for me. I eventually decided on self employment and joined the ranks of many single mom homepreneurs.
Experiential and Independent Learner
The social upheaval of the 1950’s and the exciting revolution of the 1960’s resulted in a new consciousness-raising movement for young women. The 70′s culture encouraged risk-taking and creativity. We were young liberated women and we could be anything we wanted to be. Or, so we were told. There were no small business courses, role models or networks for women. Young single moms jumped into entrepreneurism and learned by trial and error. The one thing we had in common was blind courage and a “let’s just do it” attitude.
Over the years, I slowly established a career in marketing and training. I took professional development courses at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Ryerson (Toronto) and Western University Continuing Studies (London, Ontario) in Education. As an independent and experiential learner, I enrolled in the Department of Independent Studies at the University of Waterloo (Ontario).
In the 1980′s I became a popular trainer and instructor at a community college where my continuing education courses were always very well attended.
Innovative
I’m grateful to have worked with many innovative companies, non profits and local community groups, serving in a leadership management role or a catalyst for change in social services, employment services, cultural organizations and civic projects. My efforts and creative initiatives were recognized during the 1990′s when I was named to the City of London Mayor’s Honour Roll for outstanding contribution to the arts. My marketing programs were recognized by Tourism London, Spirit of Excellence Awards. During that same time, I was also featured as one of London’s Top 100 Achievers by London Magazine.
Music
Just for the fun of it, I’ve stayed involved with music in one way or another. I was the founder/producer of the popular Rhythm Sisters, a World Beat percussive performance group that released a CD and DVD. I still perform on stage from time-to–time, but mainly in a community choir.
Today
After all these years, I find myself still walking along that leading edge. Part of it is my place on that demographic wave and part of it is the result of that musical awakening during the sixties.
My mission for this next phase of my life/career is to improve the quality of life for low income older adults. I make presentations to academic groups about community engagement and leadership and I teach social media to older adults.
Contact:
Email – getkathysmith@gmail.com
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