Good Day,
There are people in our lives that give us comfort and joy just knowing they are out there in the world. For me, and many who had the pleasure of knowing her, Eleanor Cook was one of those people. We lost Eleanor on June 26th and, as summed up perfectly by Sandra on our team, “This one truly hurts!” I am going to apologize in advance to Eleanor who is most likely at this moment wanting to haunt me and tell me to stop making a big deal about her. But I am not writing this for Eleanor. I am writing this for me. Because from the moment I heard the news, the world has seemed a little emptier.
It seems like a lifetime ago that she left CCT to head Prince Edward County’s DMO, Visit the County, although it’s only been two and a half years. When she let me know that she was the successful candidate, I was simultaneously saddened and proud. I was saddened for our stakeholders who were no longer going to benefit from her creative genius and genuine passion for the industry. Saddened for our team who were losing a vibrant, upbeat, supportive team member that wanted nothing but the best for the organization. Saddened for myself, who was losing a quiet mentor.
When Eleanor joined our team in 2015, we were beginning to gain traction on our new bottom-up approach for service delivery. I knew Eleanor from her work with Jennifer Cooke in Clarington and had been immediately drawn to the positive energy that radiated from her. The previous year, we had tested out brand new Field Manager positions. As the contract team we put in place began to feel out the role and what the priorities needed to be to support those trying to grow the visitor economy, it quickly became clear that one of the most important skills was to connect on a personal level and honestly believe in the projects stakeholders were trying to bring to life. Eleanor was the poster-child of the role. She built relationships with stakeholders that were as much friendships as business partnerships and was their biggest cheerleader and advocate as they worked to make their project visitor-ready. She knew everyone and everyone knew, and loved, her.
Eleanor was the first of the “2nd Generation” Field Managers and as we filled the roles for York and Headwaters, we looked (successfully!!!) for people that exuded the same qualities and passion for the industry that were the core of who she was. Eleanor helped set the tone of collaboration and cooperation amongst the team, always willing to assist even if the tasks were outside of her wheelhouse. It was during this time that a few board members approached me concerned about my self-effacing humor and the general way I presented myself. “You have to be serious to be taken seriously,” are the words that still echo in my mind. I was rattled by this and turned to Eleanor for her thoughts and advice. In my mind, we were two peas in a pod.
One of the reasons I was drawn to her in the first place was I felt she didn’t take herself too seriously. And I never once equated that to her not being serious about what she did. In a nutshell, what she said to me was being comfortable in your own skin isn’t a weakness. Being open, honest and willing to laugh at your own mistakes and shortcomings does not negate the expertise. She said that I was disarming, making people feel instantly heard and comfortable, which may not have been what they expected because of my title. And, she said, the fact that I shared so much of my private life – I believe the term was “open book” – rather than separate work and private life (I guess kind of like I am doing now), while not what most “serious” people do at work, allowed others to also let their guard down. This often allowed work discussions to get to the heart of issues quicker, setting us up for better success.
Eleanor, the awesome, hilarious and stand-out-in-a-crowd fashion icon, alleviated my concerns about the comments and gave me the strength to continue to be the person I am. And she too continued to charm and disarm stakeholders, working with them to grow and prosper. No one would ever have called Eleanor “serious” as it equates to the stuffiness of a corporate role. But that in no way meant that people didn’t recognize how “serious” she was about helping people grow the visitor economy. This is where the proud part of her being stolen by Prince Edward County comes in.
Rebecca Mackenzie, the President of the Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA), was also the Board Chair of Visit the County. Those are two very big, important, serious roles. Through her role at CTA, she and the rest of her team had opportunities to work with Eleanor, seeing her light and lively energy garner results. When the position came open, Eleanor, who’s family owned a summer home in the County and were very familiar with the area, became a top candidate and then my new peer. I was extremely proud to have her stolen because it was a reflection on the amazing work that our organization produced. It was also affirmation that not just the buttoned-downed, tight-lipped people get taken seriously and moved through the ranks. Eleanor, with her quick wit and amazing humour, had made such an impact on so many people that it was impossible to deny that you don’t need to be serious to be successful.
Eleanor’s departure from Central Counties would have left a deep hole had it not been part of her personality to share and mentor whenever she could. When Kelly from our team developed a Destination Development Diploma for Durham College, Eleanor was the first to sign up to teach a class and then made sure that several more of us signed on to make the program a reality. As Eleanor worked with the municipalities in Durham as they started down the path of integrating the visitor economy into official plans, she spent time with staff to ensure that they had the tools and skills to implement projects, develop collaborations and create events. Our very own Lisa John-Mackenzie was one of the many staff that benefitted from knowing Eleanor. Upon hearing the news about Eleanor, Lisa said, “Eleanor was an incredibly beautiful soul. She was formally my work mentor, but also always had time for me as a friend. I admired her so much and will miss her dearly.”
When I say that Eleanor’s spirit was contagious, I really mean it. Lisa stepped into Eleanor’s role at Central Counties and picked up where she left off, including working with and mentoring her own replacement in Uxbridge. In fact, I still get to see Eleanor in all sorts of programs and projects that she helped get off the ground and that are still going today. In many cases these projects would have fizzled out if it wasn’t for Eleanor’s belief in both the program and the people trying to bring it to life. Everyone needs a cheerleader and there was no greater one than Eleanor.
I found out last year that Eleanor’s cancer had returned. I tried reaching out, but know that Eleanor didn’t want – or need – any additional sympathy and well wishes. She knew that I, and the entire CCT team, would be there for her if needed. It would have been nice to get to chat with her one last time and perhaps that is the reason I felt compelled to share my thoughts here with you today. I have to admit that I feel a bit lighter for having done it and I thank you for taking the time to read it.
I have several friends that now are scattered across the world that I don’t see or connect with very often, but who’s passing will leave an emptiness as big as Eleanor’s. I have started reaching out to them and will continue to do so several times a year so that they know how much they mean to me. When the inevitable finally happens, I hope that some of the void is filled with the relief that they knew.
I don’t have any words of wisdom to end this, so will rely on Eleanor’s family to lead us out: At Eleanor’s request, there will be no memorial service. To honour her memory, her family invites you to raise a glass of wine, buy yourself (or someone you love) a new lipstick, and be inspired by her courage to advocate for your own health.
Chuck
