Habitat for Humanity president retires

From the  Penticton Herald Newspaper

Dr. Florence Barton is retiring from the position of president of Habitat for Humanity South Okanagan, which she has held since 2007.
She is one of the three founding member of organization, along with Rev. David Irving, former rector of St. Saviour's Anglican Church and now bishop of Saskatoon, and and Scott Downey who served as the first president.
Barton cites her desire to renew her writing career, which has been put on hold for the last four years.
She also cited age as a factor, as she will celebrate her 80th birthday this year.
Former vice-president, Lynn Popoff, will assume the president's position, with Merle Kindred being elected vice-president.
Popoff joined Habitat for Humanity as publicity chair three years ago and has held the office of vice-president for the past two years. She is a retired school administrator from Kelowna. She also volunteers for Grandmothers for Africa and travelled last year to Swaziland with the Stephen Lewis Foundation to see the African projects first hand.
Kindred brings 20 years of experience with Habitat for Humanity, including three years as president of a award-winning Copper Country HFH in Michigan.
For the past five years she has been serving part-time as a volunteer communications and business consultant for the Centre of Science and Technology for Rural Development, an NGO in India.
She also commissioned an energy-efficient house in 2009.
Both new officers are looking forward to continuing the work of this small but vital Habitat affiliate, including the construction of an energy efficient two-bedroom house designed by Cal Meiklejohn.

June 2011