Stories

Elizabeth was part of making the 2015 Pan-Am Games a success in Markham, one of the host cities. As a member of the Markham Pan Am Host Advisory Committee, she helped plan and organize events leading up to and during the Games.

Created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal was a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At the same time, this commemorative medal served to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians. During the year of celebrations, 60 000 deserving Canadians were recognized.

Elizabeth helped the Unionville Business Improvement Area as a member of the Transition Team

Elizabeth was very familiar with paying way too much for hospital parking when caring for her and Ron's parents. She lobbied the government to stop this practice: "The collection of exorbitant parking fees from people at their most vulnerable moments is fundamentally and morally wrong. The sick, the injured, the aged, the disabled, the chronically ill, the frantically worried cannot advocate for their needs when personal health-care crises are upon them. In the midst of challenging, sometimes tragic circumstances, Ontario hospitals and the governments that support them must not download budgetary pressures upon the hospital clientele."

Bob Stiver and Jan Kerr Hornell were instrumental in beginning the Stiver Mill Farmers Market to draw attention to the importance of this historical site. Bob and Jan together with Elizabeth Plashkes and others in the community created the Unionville Village Conservancy with the express purpose of restoring the Stiver Mill. They needed seed money and the MVC forwarded that $5,000 “Lucky Money” to the UVC. This start up money was even more successful in that the UVC and the City of Markham raised $1.9 million, including a contribution from the Government of Canada for the restoration project. The contractor has been working all winter and phase I of the restoration is almost finished. The Stiver Mill will be a community building with delightful walkways and landscaping around it. Congratulations UVC in a job well done.

Elizabeth and Ron started heading south to escape the cold in 2010. At first, they rented houses in different areas of Florida looking for the right place to set up more permanently. Eventually in 2014, they found home on Longboat Key.

Elizabeth was a recipient of the Markham Arts Council's Mackie Award in 2009 for her work. "Elizabeth Plashkes has volunteered with a number of different organizations including the Markham Village Festival, Markham Village Conservancy (Markham Train station renovations), Doors Open Markham (founding Chair) and the Varley Art Auction Chair."

Elizabeth was co-chair of the Opening Celebration committee for Nineteen on the Park!

Elizabeth received Heritage Markham's Award of Excellence for her "Noteworthy contributions to hertiage conservation initiatives in the Town of Markham, particularly in Markham Village.

Elizabeth was a member of the Board of Directors of the Varley-McKay Art Foundation of Markham.

Elizabeth was awarded the Ontario Heritage Trust's Heritage Community Recognition Award in 2004 for her outstanding volunteer work in preserving Built Heritage in Markham.

Elizabeth was the founding Chair of Doors Open Markham. She had heard about Doors Open in a news item about its beginnings in France in the 1980s.

Elizabeth led fundraising efforts to save the Markham Village Train Station from demolition, and restore it to it's 1910 appearance.

Founding member of the Markham Village Conservancy, an organization focused on PROMOTING THE PRESERVATION OF THE MAIN STREET RAILROAD STATION.

Elizabeth was Co-Chair of the committee that organized the first major Canada Day celebration in Markham at Milne Park. The event was a huge success, with participants joining together to form a giant Canadian flag out of pieces of bristol board.

Elizabeth helped revitalize Markham Village Festival, working to reimagine, rebrand and expand it. She was Vice President for 1990, President in 1991.

Elizabeth met Ron Plashkes while working at a Hamilton, Ontario computer store. Elizabeth was promoting Ron’s new accounting software, PCLaw to the local legal community. For Ron it was love at first sight. Elizabeth took a bit longer.