She’s a behind-the-scenes organizational whiz who can whip up a festival in a frenzy. He’s an outgoing type whose curiosity has been known to get the better of him. Together, they make things happen in Creemore.
Since moving to Creemore about 10 years ago, husband-and-wife dynamic duo, Laurie Copeland and Corey Finkelstein (pictured with their daughter, Sadie, above) have worked ceaselessly in the name of culture and community.
Laurie owns and operates the toy store, Cardboard Castles, Creemore’s go-to spot for early imagination and activity. Corey is a graphic designer who has been managing the Rent-a-Youth program, and photography and auto restoration clubs at Ray’s Place since last spring.
But that’s just the start.
Corey is in his second year as the President of the Business Improvement Association, organized this year’s Santa Claus Parade and runs the Copper Kettle Classics annual car show in August. You may have seen him leading a cavalcade of children on bicycles at the Canada Day parade.
Two years ago, Laurie started a Children’s Festival that last year brought 5,000 visitors to Creemore on a Saturday in August. She is also Chair of the Board at Ray’s Place Youth Centre and has worked with its Founder, Tony Fry, to grow the organization. Her business sponsors numerous events throughout the year, including the annual Crazy Hat Contest at Creemore’s Christmas Tree Trimming.
“The reason we do all these events is to bring in more culture to Creemore,” says Laurie. “With the Children’s Festival, we are trying to introduce kids to something bigger; if they can’t get out of Creemore, we’ll bring the outside to them.”
How do they do it? Laurie and Corey are quick to point out they don’t work alone. “It’s never just us,” says Laurie. “There are always so many volunteers in this place. We don’t go out with the intention of leading everything. It’s just about pitching in.”
“There are so many active people in this community that we are really honoured to be chosen,” she continues. “Others work hard but never get named. We might be out on the street a bit more, but we are not more deserving.”
The secret of their success could be rooted in the way their distinct personalities blend together. Laurie says she is the more introverted and private of the two. She describes herself as being a more detail-oriented person who prefers to be in the background.
Corey likes to put himself in the public eye. He takes things on purpose to challenge himself, such as pursuing public speaking opportunities and joining the Nitetis Masonic Lodge #444 in 2008 “just because I was curious,” he says.
“We both bring different strengths to projects. I know I can’t do everything I do without him and vice versa,” says Laurie. “Corey is more creative and less organized. He is always up to something, good or bad. But I can hide behind him when I need to.”
When asked to describe one another, mutual admiration shines through. “When Laurie puts her mind to something, she is so driven,” Corey says. “She gives 110 per cent; she juggles a ton of things and she does them all really well.”
One thing they do share is an abundance of energy. “If we both didn’t have this kind of energy, we wouldn’t do this… we just don’t like sitting around,” says Laurie.
But, like any partnership, there can be challenges. “I don’t think we work well together because we are married. I think we work together in spite of the fact we are married!” laughs Laurie. “If I didn’t know him, I’d still like him – and he’d drive me crazy.”
Corey and Laurie met in 1989 in the Communications program at Brock University in St. Catharines. There, they became friends who shared common interests including a love of design. It wasn’t until years later, in 1996, that they started dating. In June 2001, the two were married in Swinton Park near Dundalk, at Laurie’s family farm.
It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when Laurie and Corey didn’t live in Creemore.
In 2002, they moved here from Toronto where Corey had a graphic design business and Laurie was a polarity therapist.
Their search for an affordable house took them further and further out of the city until they landed in Creemore. Having grown up in Orangeville, Laurie was comfortable with small communities, but Corey was used to “big city living.”
“I gave him a year,” says Laurie. “After a little while, he started to come home very happy because all these people on the street were saying ‘hi’ and being friendly. That’s when I knew we were here for good.”
Their daughter, Sadie, was born in Creemore in 2004. One of Corey’s fondest memories is of going to the post office to pick up the mail after Sadie was born. When the post office employees heard that the new parents were concerned Sadie was losing weight, she told Corey to bring her in and put her on the scale there to check. “It’s the epitome of small town life,” Corey says.
Now age 9, Sadie is involved in all of her parents’ projects. “Whatever we do, she does, too,” says Laurie. We want to pass the importance of community to our daughter. We want her to know that if you want something in the world, then you don’t have to wait for it to happen – you can create it.”
For this family, life keeps getting busier. Right now, Laurie and Corey are planning February’s Big Heart Festival of winter events and the Children’s Festival. Laurie is also focusing on Ray’s Place, where Corey will be a Board Member, keep running the car club, and oversee the photography, improvisation and running clubs, too.“We do it because we want to do it,” Laurie shrugs.
Fifteen years ago, they wouldn’t have predicted that this would be their life. “My childhood wasn’t spent being especially connected to the community,” Corey says. “But in Creemore, we have both evolved into community-minded people. Some people have their religion, but we have Creemore.”