Latest news with #HeatherRobinson
Hamilton Spectator
25-06-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
St. Thomas public library CAO
After 27 successful years at St. Thomas Public Library, Heather Robinson doesn't mind telling you that her career is now going to the dogs. She's retiring as chief administrative officer (CAO), or chief librarian, in December and Ms. Robinson is committing her golden years to working as an end-of-life doula for dogs. Dog doulas provide non-medical, emotional support and guidance for pet owners and their canine companions during the end-of-life process. 'It will be very strange not to come here (the St. Thomas Public Library, at 153 Curtis Street) and not to come up those stairs,' Ms. Robinson said in a recent interview, 'but I've got a few things in the works, more around animals and nature. 'Right now, I'm adoptions co-ordinator for Happy's Place, a senior dog rescue,' added Ms. Robinson. 'I'll continue to do that and I have taken an end-of-life, companion animal doula course, with the goal of helping people who either have a palliative animal or have lost an animal.' Ms. Robinson shares her Sparta home with two Pugs named Newman and Frannie. 'I've always loved animals,' she added. 'I'm very much a nature person and as I get older, I've just given in to my love of dogs. 'A dog doula is not something that is really mainstream yet, but more and more people are seeing the importance of this,' she said, who has also studied to become an animal communicator. 'I didn't even know about any of this (canine end of life). I just started to do some research, watched some podcasts, took courses, was mentored by people … and there were certain people who I really resonated with, so I contacted them.' St. Thomas Public Library Board – an independent body reporting to the City of St. Thomas – is expected to launch a national recruitment campaign to replace Ms. Robinson later this month. A new CAO is slated to be announced at the end of December. Originally from Wingham, Ontario, Ms. Robinson grew up in London and earned an English Honors degree at Western University before also completing librarian studies at Western. 'Libraries have never not been in my life,' she said. 'I always went to them as a child and when I turned 14, I got a job at London Public Library as a page, and I worked through to university.' After graduating, Ms. Robinson started out as a children's librarian in the City of York, in the Greater Toronto Area, then later worked at the Kingston Public Library, before coming to St. Thomas. She started here as children's and teens' librarian, then moved into the public service department where she led the library renovations project in 2011-2012 and has served as CAO for eight years. Among her accomplishments in St. Thomas, Ms. Robinson also oversaw creation of the library's Kids Spot, as well as the creation of outdoor murals and various community art projects. In 2004, she was given the Ontario Public Library Association's Children's Librarian of the Year award. 'You just need someone to steer the ship because there's a lot going on in a library that people don't realize,' she said. 'It's programming, selection of materials, services that we offer, online presence.' Ms. Robinson is aware of the general public's perceptions of chief librarians as introverted nerds who are employed to check books in and out of the library. 'Maybe there is some truth to that, but once you get into it, you realize just how rich it is,' she said. 'The number of experiences and the amount of experience I've had in this career, is unprecedented. You are doing personnel stuff, renovation projects, you're looking after a building, looking after collections, and programming.' 'I just love the diversity of people that you serve,' she said. 'It's a career where you really can make a difference, especially with young people. 'When I was a children's librarian here, it was (a time when) there was a community around the (downtown) library, with community schools. Now they're all bused to the larger schools on the outskirts. 'These kids would come with their classes weekly, and we'd do programs for them,' she explained. 'You got to know them, and they got to know one another. They would come and hang out all the time. 'For some of them, the library was their warmth. They didn't have any heat at home. Or they didn't have any food at home, so you became a trusted person to them. 'Same with the teens. We'd do intergenerational programs. We'd teach them about finance, take them on book-buying trips, teaching them essential skills, and it felt like you were making a difference in their lives. 'It isn't the same as it was,' she added. 'Things have just changed.' However the library system continues to evolve to maintain its relevance in the community, she observed. 'I've seen libraries since we had card catalogues still and I think that libraries have been incredibly adaptable, so there still is the traditional idea of libraries out there as being a place to house books,' she said. 'Statistics don't support that people are reading solely online or e-books. 'E-books are increasing in circulation however people are still reading books,' she continued. 'Add to that, programs. This is a place where you can come for free and connect with people to learn things.' The library's Tech Talk group, for example, meets regularly and responds to all types of questions and challenges, he said. There are also one-on-one sessions, in which library staff provide walk-throughs on a wide range of interests, such as ancestry searches. Ms. Robinson said 'maker spaces' are also popular, with equipment to, for example, make signs, buttons, or stickers for businesses, or to construct things from wood. 'We adapt by bringing in things that we think will help people,' she said. 'People can learn how to use a 3D printer, or a vinyl cutter. 'We really are places where people can come to connect and in a world where technology separates us from people, they're craving a place, even if they're working online, they'll come and work at the library so that there are people around,' said Ms. Robinson. 'We have a lot of social capital.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
The Sun
07-06-2025
- The Sun
True story of Heather Robinson kidnapped by serial killer uncle who hid bodies in barrels & called himself ‘Slavemaster'
THE woman who was kidnapped by a serial killer and sold to his family is having her story retold in a new movie. At just five months old, Tiffany Stasi was snatched from her mother Lisa, by killer John Robinson in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1985. 9 9 9 She would not find out the dark truth about her life and her sick uncle for another 15 years when he was revealed to be a serial killer whose victims included her own mother. It is the focus of a new film Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story that airs tonight. Tiffany was brought up as Heather Robinson by her adoptive parents Don and Frieda Robinson. But in 2000, her uncle John Robinson, Don's brother, was arrested after bodies of multiple women were discovered in barrels on his property as part of an investigation into missing people. It was then, when she was 15 years old, that Heather learned Robinson had kidnapped her and handed her to his family for an illegal adoption for which he got $5,500. Her biological mother, Lisa, met Robinson after she went to a woman's shelter following a split with Heather's dad. Robinson said he would help the pair find a home but instead he brutally killed her mother and sold the baby to his brother and sister-in-law who thought they were legally adopting her. He had claimed 19-year-old Lisa committed suicide in a hotel room. By the time of his arrest in 2000, the then 56-year-old had been linked to the murders of eight women. He had a lengthy criminal record that included fraud and embezzlement and had tricked people with the alias of John Osbourne. My dad spied on my sister with hidden cameras & stalked her at work before she vanished at 17 - I'm convinced he killed her despite serial killer confession The depths of his depravity were not uncovered until a woman came forward accusing him of sexual assault and theft which led to a police search at his home near La Cygne, Kansas. He had already been named as a person of interest in a number of cases across Missouri and Kansas of missing women. HOUSE OF HORRORS When cops scoured his farmland, they found barrels containing the decomposing bodies of Izabela Lewicka and Suzette Trouten. Lewicka was reported missing in 1999 and Trouten in 2000. The bodies of Beverly Bonner, Sheila Faith, and her daughter, Debbie Faith were later found at two storage units he rented in Missouri. After his arrest, Heather's DNA was tested which confirmed the truth about her adoption and the forged certificates. In 2002, Robinson went on trial for the murders of Trouten, Lewicka, and Lisa Stasi, though her body was never recovered. He was found guilty of all counts and handed two death sentences and a life sentence as well as convicted for the kidnap and false adoption of Heather. A year later, he received more life sentences after pleading guilty to the murders of Paula Godfrey, Catherine Clampitt, Beverly Bonner, and Sheila and Debbie Faith. 9 9 9 9 Despite two life sentences being overturned in 2015, Robinson remains on death row at the age of 81. He was found to have been one of the first killers to use the internet to lure in victims, speaking to women in online chat rooms under the username "slavemaster". Authorities discovered that with some of his victims, Robinson engaged in sadomasochistic sex and master-slave relationships before killing them, per Biography. In a rare interview with ABC News in 2019, Heather said she believes she witnessed her mother's murder but does not remember it. She said that while she was growing up, Uncle John "gave me this really weird, off-putting feeling in the pit of my stomach." "It's like walking down a dark alley in the middle of the night while you know someone is behind you, approaching you closer and closer." Heather also claimed that just months before Robinson's arrest, she nearly ended up as one of his murder victims. At a wedding in Florida, she said he asked her sexual questions and offered to pay for a plane ticket so she could stay with him. Had she said yes, Heather said: "I'd be dead. I would be in that barrel". Lisa's remains have still not been recovered with Heather continuing efforts to try to find her biological mother to have her buried on a family plot. Heather Tiffany Robinson was eventually legally adopted by Don and Frieda at the age of 18. Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story airs on June 7 on Lifetime at 8/7c. 9 9
CBC
11-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Teen's cookbook to help Bayfield food bank cover moving costs
Social Sharing While working as a volunteer stocking shelves at the Bayfield Area Food Bank, 15-year-old Sam Robinson began to notice some of the clients weren't entirely sure of what to do with some of the food items they were getting. "I would hear a lot of people say they didn't want to take certain ingredients, like chick peas, because they didn't know how to use them," said Robinson. The food bank serves about 200 clients a month with visitors from Bayfield and nearby communities all over Huron County. Visits are growing by about 10 per cent each month, according to the food bank. Many who come to the monthly pickup days are families with young children but seniors make up about 30 per cent of visitors. Robinson said he wanted to include recipes that can be made quickly with plenty of leftovers. At first, his idea was to put the recipes on index cards for the clients to take home. Then, after talking with his mother Heather, they came up with the idea of gathering the recipes together in a book. The book approach had a few upsides. It could be a resource for clients, but it could also be used to raise money for the food bank. To help cover printing and promotion costs, Robinson and his mother were able to get a $1,000 grant from the Huron Economic Department. Community donated recipes Robinson reached out to community members in Bayfield, asking them for recipes that would work for the project. "We definitely got a lot of recipes for tuna casseroles and chili," said Robinson. The project involved three months of writing, designing the pages and recipe testing. "We've tried all the recipes and they're delicious," he said. The result is a handsome bound book called The Clever Cooks Guide, self published through Amazon. Some of the pages include information about the person who donated the recipes. One recipe for simple biscuits donated by Mark Mitchell incudes a picture of his grandma Ethel Bain. The recipe came to Robinsons in the form of a dog-earned index card. Grandma's first instruction of the recipe is "Wash your hands." The book was released on May 2 and the goal is to sell 200 copies, enough to donate to each of the food bank's regular clients. The books that aren't donated to food bank clients will sell for $25 each with the proceeds going to help the Bayfield Area Food Bank. Food bank's new location will need expensive retrofits The additional financial donations come at the right time for the food bank. It's currently operating out of three dressing rooms of the Bayfield Community Centre, which houses the town's ice rink. The food bank moved into the arena last month after the lease at their previous location expired. The Municipality of Bluewater has a space for the food bank's new home in a nearby property owned by the municipality. It will be offered at a nominal rent. The challenge is, the space requires $100,000 worth of worth of upgrades and retrofits, money the food bank will have to raise. Meanwhile, the food bank has to be out of the dressing rooms by the time the ice goes into the arena in early September. "Our numbers are really going up," said Laurie Hazzard a board member of the food bank. "We expect by Christmas we'll be well over 200 clients." Hazzard said the search for a new location has been tricky. Real estate is expensive in Bayfield and they need a location that's centrally located so clients can walk to get their food. However, they also don't want a location on a main strip or other conspicuous location. "About 30 per cent of our clients are seniors and there's just a stigma that's attached with going to the food banks," said Hazzard. "We want to protect the integrity of our clients." With a nod to Sam's cookbook project, Hazzard is encouraged by how the community has come together to help.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Teen's cookbook to help Bayfield food bank cover moving costs
While working as a volunteer stocking shelves at the Bayfield Area Food Bank, 15-year-old Sam Robinson began to notice some of the clients weren't entirely sure of what to do with some of the food items they were getting. "I would hear a lot of people say they didn't want to take certain ingredients, like chick peas, because they didn't know how to use them," said Robinson. The food bank serves about 200 clients a month with visitors from Bayfield and nearby communities all over Huron County. Visits are growing by about 10 per cent each month, according to the food bank. Many who come to the monthly pickup days are families with young children but seniors make up about 30 per cent of visitors. Robinson said he wanted to include recipes that can be made quickly with plenty of leftovers. At first, his idea was to put the recipes on index cards for the clients to take home. Then, after talking with his mother Heather, they came up with the idea of gathering the recipes together in a book. The book approach had a few upsides. It could be a resource for clients, but it could also be used to raise money for the food bank. To help cover printing and promotion costs, Robinson and his mother were able to get a $1,000 grant from the Huron Economic Department. Community donated recipes Robinson reached out to community members in Bayfield, asking them for recipes that would work for the project. "We definitely got a lot of recipes for tuna casseroles and chili," said Robinson. The project involved three months of writing, designing the pages and recipe testing. "We've tried all the recipes and they're delicious," he said. The result is a handsome bound book called The Clever Cooks Guide, self published through Amazon. Some of the pages include information about the person who donated the recipes. One recipe for simple biscuits donated by Mark Mitchell incudes a picture of his grandma Ethel Bain. The recipe came to Robinsons in the form of a dog-earned index card. Grandma's first instruction of the recipe is "Wash your hands." The book was released on May 2 and the goal is to sell 200 copies, enough to donate to each of the food bank's regular clients. The books that aren't donated to food bank clients will sell for $25 each with the proceeds going to help the Bayfield Area Food Bank. Food bank's new location will need expensive retrofits The additional financial donations come at the right time for the food bank. It's currently operating out of three dressing rooms of the Bayfield Community Centre, which houses the town's ice rink. The food bank moved into the arena last month after the lease at their previous location expired. The Municipality of Bluewater has a space for the food bank's new home in a nearby property owned by the municipality. It will be offered at a nominal rent. The challenge is, the space requires $100,000 worth of worth of upgrades and retrofits, money the food bank will have to raise. Meanwhile, the food bank has to be out of the dressing rooms by the time the ice goes into the arena in early September. "Our numbers are really going up," said Laurie Hazzard a board member of the food bank. "We expect by Christmas we'll be well over 200 clients." Hazzard said the search for a new location has been tricky. Real estate is expensive in Bayfield and they need a location that's centrally located so clients can walk to get their food. However, they also don't want a location on a main strip or other conspicuous location. "About 30 per cent of our clients are seniors and there's just a stigma that's attached with going to the food banks," said Hazzard. "We want to protect the integrity of our clients." With a nod to Sam's cookbook project, Hazzard is encouraged by how the community has come together to help. "When community members step up like that, it really does help us out," she said.
