Margaret Bolender

Margaret (née Bolender) Cumming was born in Pilkington Township, Wellington County in 1921. She won the Elora High School’s Ballard Scholarship as best overall student in 1939. She graduated from Hamilton Normal School (1941) and Wilfrid Laurier University (1974) with a Bachelor of Arts. She taught school for many years and was a friend to all her students.

When she was president of the Elmira Horticultural Society, Bolender spearheaded the planting of a butterfly garden at the Elmira Branch of the Waterloo Regional Library. She encourages children with disabilities to take part in gardening. Bolender is a Master Gardener and a flower and vegetable judge. She was the first woman president of the Elmira Fair Board and is president of the Waterloo North District Women’s Institute (1996-98).

Bolender received the Bicentennial Certificate of Merit from the Province of Ontario (1984), the Ontario Horticultural Association service award (1990) and the Oktoberfest Senior Citizen of the Year Award (1997). She has also received an award from the Ontario Women’s Institute (FWIO) in 1997. She is a member of the Woolwich Healthy Communities where she is involved in the sustainability group. She is an active member of Trinity United Church, Elmira.