Volunteers at Work

Trevor Barton

Trevor, current chair of the Enabling Garden, wrote at the end of the Tea 'n' Tale 2018 season, "We [Enabling Garden] are celebrating our 11th season with the Guild’s Tellers in our jewel in Guelph’s Crown - the Guelph Enabling Garden, an oasis of nature and beauty within Riverside Park."  

In return, GGS salutes Trevor as  the mover and shaker in the historical development of this loved and successful collaboration. Trevor co-founded the Enabling Garden and he's the one who reached out to GGS to use its idylic setting to tell stories. The Enabling Garden has been recognized for making a wonderful contribution to Guelph on many levels. In 2016 Trevor accepted the Mayor’s Award on behalf of Guelph Enabling Garden.

Although Trevor 'retired' in 2017, after 30 years of work and leadership in Waste Management in the City of Guelph and the Region of Peel specializing in compost science and utilization and household hazardous waste management. He continues as an active Guelph Enabling Garden volunteer. (E.g., He's an instructor in backyard composting and the Friday morning Story Teller Guild’s host, preparing refreshments and serving coffee, lemonade or iced tea with a warm welcoming smile.)  As Trevor said, "And I get the best seat in the house to enjoy Tea 'n' Tales." 

Trevor is an amateur gardener with excellent compost amended soils on a one-acre paradise in Ariss. He continues as TVO Counsellor for South-West Ontario since 1994.  (He's the local Polkaroo and Dudley the Dragon impersonator.) He's a member of Elora Community Theatre. ( Playing Mr. DiPenna in “You Can’t Take It with You” and Judge Omar Gaffney in “Harvey”.) "Retirement" is an oxymoron for Trevor.

Bruce Shapka

Bruce has a passion for photography with a gifted, keen eye. He's an avid supporter of the Guild and for more than a decade Bruce has documented the Guelph Guild of Storytellers, going back to the days of evening tellings at The Boathouse.