Annual Plant Sale 2024
Michele Wall, Chair
Michele was raised in the dirt on a Cattle Ranch in the Interior of British Columbia as a third-generation steward of the land. The Ranch was self-sufficient, with acres of vegetable gardens and crops that were harvested in various ways. As a lifelong learner, she truly believes we can transform lives and enrich communities through the power of education. She is honoured to be a contributing member of the organization that provides education, skills, healthy growing practices and food to the communities of the Columbia Valley.
Melanie Ferster, Secretary
Melanie is a Clinical Counsellor and Social Worker who believes that a personal connection with nature is crucial to our mental health and well-being! She loves to garden, bake, and ice skate and dreams about having chickens roam her lawn one day.
Karin Ogilvie, Treasurer
Former hospitality executive and current instructor with College of the Rockies. Passionate about food, wine, service, dogs, and the great outdoors. Preferably all at the same time.
Deborah Griffith, Partnership Director
Deborah started out as an Ontario flat lander turned BC mountain woman, grandmother, artist, writer, traveler, skier, climber, hiker.
She worked as a RN in Ontario, then for Parks Canada in Yoho and Kootenay National Parks in Communications. She became a Board member for Friends of Kootenay, Wings Over the Rockies, Columbia Valley Botanical Garden and the Columbia Basin Environmental Education Network. helping start the Wild Voices for Kids program.
As a gardener for 60 years, she is currently interested in creating connections to nature through gardening and supporting food sustainability.
Bert Boulet Operations Director
Bert is a qualified Chartered Accountant, having carved a long career working with entrepreneurs in tax planning and consulting as well as mergers and acquisitions. Until the plan to retire came to fruition, Bert had his accounting practice in Calgary with a staff of 15 before selling up and moving to the Valley. In his younger years he did spend a lot of time working on some of the farms in southern Manitoba helping out his family. Always happy to help, Bert is an avid gardener and carpenter, so his interests, hobbies and skill set are perfectly aligned to the values, goals and objectives of Groundswell! Bert can also often be found out on the golf course attempting to improve his game and pottering around on his acreage making preparations for managing operations of building his long-awaited workshop and dream home.
Elizabeth Farthing, Membership & Volunteer Director
Elizabeth has held executive management positions in commodities trading and renewable energy generation as well as in the financial sector focused on compliance with applicable laws and regulations as well as corporate policy. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calgary and a Master of Science in Business Compliance and Ethics from the New England College of Business. Elizabeth has served on a number of public and private boards and joined the Groundswell Network in 2024 inspired by its mission, the community greenhouse and the Garden of Lights. She is pursuing her passion for preserving heritage seeds and growing practices as well as food as medicine for physical, mental and spiritual well being. She lives in Radium Hot Springs with her partner Gord and their 2 dogs.
Catherine Plumb, Community Gardens Director
Catherine has been growing gardens in Invermere for 18 years. Surrounded by lots of perennials in my childhood, I was drawn to vegetables, pumpkins, and squashes in my adulthood. From patio gardens to large market gardens, I’ve experienced varying growing environments across the valley that have improved and tested my skills. I love to combine my flowers with my vegetables and enjoy watching them combine over the summer months.
My greatest growing passion is pumpkins and gourds because of their long tendrils, beautiful flowers, and gorgeous fruits. I always say grow big!
Wilma Slenders, Director-at-Large
Wilma is an entrepreneur, board director, consultant, and executive leadership coach. She is the founder/co-founder of Transcend Management Advisors Inc. and Kaleidoscope Holdings Corporation, a Calgary-based real estate holdings company. She holds a doctorate in leadership, and a master’s degree in management. She’s served in governance and not-for-profit roles as a Board Chair, Board member, Executive Director, and volunteer. Wilma grew up on a farm and has ‘dirt under her fingernails.’ She’s passionate about nature, the environment, and sustainability. Her involvement with Groundswell is a way for her to support a local grassroots organization focused on making a difference. When she isn’t in the Columbia Valley, she resides in Calgary and Manzanillo, Mexico and loves to travel the world with her husband,Victor.