NewmarketToday is marking this giving season by celebrating Newmarket's Community Angels, the people whose kindness, compassion and community spirit help make our town one of the best to live in the country.
Katie Gilligan is one of Newmarket's many business owners who give back to the community through acts of charity.
The owner of Timeless Harmony Salon and Spa has been using her business as a platform for raising funds and donations to worthy causes such as supporting vulnerable women and buying gifts for seniors at Christmas.
Gilligan says she feels it is the responsibility of business owners to give back to the community.
"It's very challenging, but you know what? When people in the community come to give your business, I think it is your responsibility to give back to the community as well. When your community is amazing to you, you need to be amazing to your community," said Gilligan.
For the third Christmas in a row, Gilligan has collected and delivered presents for the 70 residents of Eagle Terrace Long-Term Care home.
She has also been fundraising for the Women's Centre of York Region, organizing a virtual event this September to help make up for the lack of fundraising opportunities because of the pandemic. The event raised nearly $1,300.
"I love seniors, and being in a nursing home can be lonely, so they have always touched my heart," said Gilligan. "I am so blessed in my life, and it breaks my to hear all the stories of women in challenging, difficult and horrible situations. It really struck a chord with me that I had to step up to help."
A mother of two, Gilligan has been married for nearly 25 years and is originally from Newmarket. She opened her salon in town five years ago after working on her business plan with the York Small Business Enterprise Centre.
Although this year has been hard for many people and businesses, Gilligan said it's times like these that looking out for each other is the most important.
"Everyone needs to help everyone else this year because it's such a terrible situation. We are seeing the doors of so many small businesses close. We in the spa industry have been luckier than those in the restaurant industry because we don't have those huge hydro bills; it's crazy how much they pay," she said.
