Amica Georgetown resident Marie Mank beams as she steps out of a limo in Toronto.
The senior lifestyle residence spared no expense as they brought the local woman and three of her friends to their corporate office in the city Thursday morning (July 11) to show off the boardroom now named in her honour.
The company’s grand gesture comes in recognition of Mank’s hard work knitting a field's worth of Remembrance Day poppy brooches, with proceeds going to the Royal Canadian Legion.
Amica has shared Mank's poppy pattern with all of its residences, with many people joining in to knit for a good cause.
Mank said she was feeling a little nervous about all the attention at head office, but enjoyed “the whole thing.”
She cut two ribbons for the Marie Mank Room - one in the doorway and the other on a plaque inside that details her story.
Mank made the first batch of 100 wearable poppies in 2019 "to honour all the veterans and everybody that fought in wars for us.”
They sold out within just a few days, leading her and others to make many more since then.
She told HaltonHillsToday that she’s “already got 300 made for November,” but won’t stop yet.
“I’ll just keep making them and what doesn’t sell this year we’ll put away for next year.”
The great-grandmother has also contributed other poppies that adorn trees at the Georgetown and Acton cenotaphs. But she doesn't limit her skills to poppies as she has donated her nimble fingers - honed since she was five years old - to Amica’s Helping Hands charity as well.
For them, she has made washcloths for seniors in need to be included in holiday gift baskets, knitted St. Patrick’s Day shamrocks and flowers for International Women’s Day. Amica has also given to Mank's cause by donating to veterans.
Mank joins the ranks of several other residents who've been recognized by Amica.
“With the addition of new boardrooms, we like to honour them (Amica’s residents) by naming them after special people,” Amica’s Marketing Operations Manager Allison Shaw explained.
While Mank simply asked to see the office, Amica took things a few steps further with the limo ride, ribbon cutting and Thai food.
It marks the first time Amica has provided the namesake of a boardroom with royal treatment, henceforth starting a new tradition.
