John Birkett

COVID has had a big impact on my normal daily life. I’ve spent more than 40 years (including two as president) on the volunteer committee of the National Ballet of Canada. This usually involves all aspects of running a very successful boutique in the theatre, but COVID has kept us out of the theatre and the National Ballet of Canada headquarters. We still have to honour our $150,000 support commitment and other volunteer work has been similarly affected. I’ve been able to attend a few virtual conferences with programmes, but I miss the person-to-person contact. Aside from that, I’ve been reading uncountable numbers of books—some fiction, some not. I do three to five hours a day of brisk walking. Swimming still doesn’t feel comfortable because of COVID. The camera is busy most days.

Michael Burgess

I have led a full life since leaving RSGC in 1989! I have held numerous positions, including being a parish priest at various churches in Toronto and Domestic Chaplain to the Archbishop of Toronto. I was made a Canon in 2001 and became Regional Dean of Eglinton Deanery in 2007. I’ve served on a number of boards and committees, including Habitat For Humanity, the Meighan Health Centre, the Toronto Operetta Theatre and the Toronto Branch of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Taking part in theatre has brought me a lot of joy. Since retirement, I’ve been involved in numerous dramatic productions—performing, scripting, narrating, singing and directing. In 2011, I played Julius Caesar for Bard in the Park, and became Artistic Director of Stage Centre Productions, one of Toronto’s most highly regarded community theatre groups, where I was responsible for seven successful seasons during which the company presented 37 productions, 25 of which I directed myself. I am especially proud that SCP presented the North American premiere of Entertaining Angels. I appeared at the Palmerstone Library Theatre as Major Metcalf in a production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and as Mr. Browning in Oliver! For the Scarborough Theatre Guild, I directed Dear Charles. I am honoured to be trusted as Spiritual Director and Confessor to several younger clergy, students and others. My friends are important to me, and I take great delight that among them, I can count five Georgians who were students during my time as Chaplain. It gives me great joy that I continue to live a fulfilling and active life—I sometimes wonder how I managed to find time to work—and I am grateful that I have spent my entire working life doing a job that I love, among people I love, in a place that I love. I consider myself to have been richly blessed, doubly so because I know that I am blessed! Who could be better off than that?

Kelley Fitzpatrick

It’s been an adjustment adapting to life as a Grade 7 teacher at St. George’s in British Columbia, but I’ve really enjoyed discovering our new home province. The B.C. lifestyle suits our family well. The pace of Vancouver is quite different from Toronto, and it has taken us some time to adjust. It’s all about work-life balance. Most people here are very active and spend a great deal of time exploring the outdoor playground that surrounds us. I love spending time with my family, Dave, Kieran, Quinn and our dog Frodo. Kieran spends numerous hours on the water, training with the St. George’s Rowing Team, while Quinn spends most evenings on a soccer pitch. We have had days where we have been up in the mountains cross-country skate skiing in the morning and back down in Vancouver for an afternoon outdoor soccer game wearing shorts and t-shirts. It makes me happy to be physically active and fit, walking to work chasing the sunshine or embracing the misty mornings in the air. Just being outside, on the ocean, close to the water and wandering the woods and trails is so invigorating. Of course, I love supporting my boys in their sports, connecting with friends and collaborating with colleagues, students and their families. Just like at RSGC, it brings me joy to help others become the best version of themselves. Kelley loves hearing from former students and families. If you would like to get in touch, she can be reached at kfitzpatrick@stgeorges.bc.ca.

Hal Hannaford

I retired from Selwyn House in 2020 and now split my time between Montreal and Kennebunk, Maine. I derive huge joy from playing as much music as I can in Montreal and in Kennebunk Beach. I’m still doing the odd auction. But what really brings me my greatest joy is working in my Sanctuary in Kennebunk. I just love it! My wife Susan is working feverishly on her next novel, my daughter Alisse and her husband Christopher are doctors at the Hospital at UPenn in Philadelphia, and my son Reid (who left RSGC after Grade 8 in 2009) is a filmmaker in NYC. And of course, I still miss those wonderful, incredible and joyful RSGC years. Oh yeah, and... Go Habs Go!

David Lee

Things have changed slightly since COVID hit. Before the pandemic, I enjoyed presenting wines at food and wine shows, and festivals, working as an extra for a variety of TV shows and movies filmed in Toronto and selling movie memorabilia at comic conventions across Ontario with former RSGC VP Mike Orlando. Since COVID, I’ve been playing golf and hockey with alumni and current and former RSGC staff and parents, doing voiceover work for numerous companies and narrating instructional videos. I’m also the Chair of the Board of Crestwood Preparatory College (my daughter Julia's former school).

James Lee

Our two boys and the wonderful journey of parenting have brought me so much joy. I always feel that the days may be long at times, but the years are too short! Despite living far away in West Vancouver and working as the Deputy Head at Collingwood School, I feel great joy in staying connected with my fellow Georgian colleagues and playing rounds of golf with former RSGC faculty, then catching up with stories and a drink. As the years go by, it’s nice to stay in touch and reminisce about those years that continue to sustain lasting memories of joy and happiness. It was truly a fantastic experience over the 11 years that I spent there. Great students and families, and very fond memories of the classes I taught, athletes I coached in volleyball and hockey, and colleagues who were very supportive and who provided a sense of laughter when needed. Teaching Grade 11 Economics class in third-floor See House, throwing a baseball on the tarmac with Hal Hannaford, and the famous hotdogs at Forest Hill Arena after each home game—great memories. RSGC is a school that understands the definition of community and a true sense of belonging.

Richard Nakatsu

I am doing well and still don’t own a cell phone! I’m still gardening and golfing for the most part, with some home exercise (I roll around on a yoga mat). Former staff member Doug Smith has hosted me for a few suppers. I occasionally spin some yarns over chicken wings and cold beverages with former staff members Mark Ackley and Wayne Dunkley. Some present staff members, Adrian Thornbury and John Evans, have been kind enough to give me golf lessons. I enjoyed watching Afrim Pristine’s series on cheese.

Morris Reid

My life is very simple and I’m enjoying retirement. I thought I might be bored, but I’m not, and the day passes quickly. In the morning, I go for a 40-minute walk, 20 there, 20 back, to Yonge and Finch from where I Iive, to buy my newspapers. On returning home, I read them for an hour, and then do some work—prepare food for or with my wife, or deal with email correspondence. After lunch, I read some more and do some more light work. In the evening, I watch television. In summer, there is gardening; in winter, yard work and shovelling snow.

George Rutherford ’71

A central joy in my life is my family: my wife, to whom I have been married for 39 years, our three daughters, our two sons-in-law and our grandson. Secondly, my career as Head of School for Holy Trinity School in Richmond Hill for 18 years followed by a three-year Headship at the Canadian College Italy located in Lanciano, Italy, was immensely rewarding. As a strong proponent of leadership as service, I had the pleasure to work with volunteers, faculty and staff, all of whom were dedicated to building strong and vibrant schools based on research-based principles and data. Working as a consultant for CAIServices for the last seven years has also been very rewarding, as I have had the privilege to work with boards and leadership teams in schools across Canada to address and solve problems in order to advance their schools. These career experiences prepared me for my current service as the chair of two Boards in Collingwood, Ont., where we now live. The move to Collingwood has proven to be a genuine enhancement to our lives, as we now have greater opportunities for active living through hiking, skiing, cycling, curling and golfing. Finally, I have had more opportunities to draw and paint, which have been pursuits I did not have much time for while working. In the end, I realize that I was indeed fortunate to attend St. George's as a student and then to return there as a teacher for seven years. As a teenager and as a young teacher, St. George's taught me lessons and principles to live by, which have guided me through my life.

Don Schroder

After I left RSGC, I went back to Kingsway College School to teach Middle School math for six years. I retired from teaching this past June. During the pandemic, the things that have given me joy have been playing golf, tennis and pickleball, as well as cycling and hiking. Lots of classes on our stationary bike. Watching several different series on Netflix and Amazon Prime. Reading. Playing cards and board games with my family. Watching sports on TV, especially the Leafs and Raptors.

Andy Whiteley

On the first Monday after our retirement, Annette and I were in a fully packed Forester on our way to Florida on the first leg of a planned six-month lap of North America. We lived in different places along the way, a week in Tobago, a month in Florida, a leisurely amble across US-10 to California, up the Pacific Coast highway from bottom to top seeing a million redwood trees, a week in Vancouver, and a trip west-to-east on the Trans-Canada highway with stops along the way to see family, former colleagues and friends. By June, we were at our cottage and spent the full summer there, a longtime dream fulfilled. I bought myself a pontoon boat and enjoyed countless hours cruising the lake with friends and family. By fall, we realized we needed a place to call home, so we bought and settled into our new home in Niagara-on-the-Lake. We love life in the town and have become reacquainted with friends and colleagues from my Ridley days. Life since then has been home in Niagara, summers at the cottage and winters somewhere hot. Florida, California, Maui, Australia and New Zealand. We peaked out in the winter of 2020 with a trip to Tahiti, a 20-day South Pacific cruise from Tahiti to a dozen islands and ended up in Australia. Since then, we have not travelled at all, but have found a great deal of satisfaction in executing a number of home improvement projects, all on time and on budget, I might add! So, yes, we have found lots of joy along the way in retirement thus far: Joy in the luxury of time to spend any way we choose. Joy in being able to visit with friends and family for extended periods of time. Joy in the deepening of our relationships. Joy in watching what other generations are getting up to. And last but not least, the continuing joy and satisfaction of a job well done, no matter what that job is or how old you are while you’re doing it.