OUR PARTNERS 
Communiqué for NOTL Ambassadors and our Partners!

March 2025 

THE LEADERS' CORNER

From Your Co-Leads Laurie Harley & Vlad Haltigin

Welcome Spring!

At precisely 5:01 am on Thursday March 20 spring arrived in NOTL.   After the dark days of winter, we welcome the longer daylight hours, warmer temperatures (at least on some days), and the renewed energy and excitement that accompanies the change in season. 

That energy is in high gear for the Ambassadors!  With our launch date of May 16th just around the corner, preparations are well underway to welcome our 30 new volunteers, finalize the community site visit calendar, and organize the season official Kick-Off meeting on April 29.  Check out the “Save the Date” section with an updated Ambassador 2025 Calendar.  Arts and Culture are first on the agenda with visits to the Shaw (March 31) and the Pumphouse (April 22).   

The 2025 season promises to be our biggest yet.  With the Ambassador Team now approaching 100, we’ll be adding a new venue where we can welcome and connect with visitors and residents.  Thanks to the Lord Mayor and Town staff, the main floor of the historic Court House will be open to the public on Fridays, weekends and Holiday Mondays during our scheduled hours and Ambassadors will be there with a warm welcome.  In addition to Kiosk and Walking shifts, there will be a new Court House shift available for sign-up.  It may turn out to be very popular – think air conditioning in summer and a chance to sit down when it’s not busy!     

And there’s more news in this issue:

  • Read about a spectacular initiative, “Niagara on the Lake in Bloom,” led by Vintage Hotels, coming to NOTL in early May  

  • Learn more about the Ambassador Mentorship Program

  • And have a “peek” at what may await you on Queen Street   

Finally, you’ll want to join us in giving a huge SHOUT OUT to two amazing members of the Ambassador Team:   Carter Simpson, our Special Olympics medal winner and Cheryl Yamamoto, who has contributed so much to the Leadership Team and will be stepping down in 2025. 

To the returning snowbirds – welcome home; and to all, enjoy a wonderful spring!

See you soon “on the street”!

Laurie and Vlad

2025 Calendar of Events

Ambassador Kick-Off Meeting

If you haven’t already done so, please sign up to attend the season Kick-Off meeting on Tuesday, April 29th from 4 to 6 pm at Founders’ Hall, Inniskillin Winery.  It’s an opportunity to ‘mix and mingle’ with returning colleagues,  meet our new volunteers and learn what’s new for the 2025 season.  Our thanks to Sumie Yamakawa and the generosity of Inniskillin Winery for hosting the event.   

Community Site Visits

Shaw Festival – Monday March 31, 10 to 11:30am

There are still a few spaces available for the Shaw Festival visit. This is a special opportunity to peek behind the curtain and learn the secrets that bring performances to the stage.  Don’t be surprised if your tour guide looks familiar – our Ambassadors are volunteers with many talents.

Pumphouse Arts Centre – Tuesday April 22, 10 to 11am

This is a unique opportunity to learn more about the Pumphouse and the Niagara Arts Collective’s mission to make our Town a premier arts destination.  Watch for a notice advising when sign-up will be available in MAP.

Calendar of Events

Guess what's coming soon to Queen Street?

Niagara-on-the-lake In Bloom

Are you familiar with the Chelsea Flower Show & Chelsea in Bloom in London, England?  It’s the inspiration behind the Niagara on the Lake in Bloom – a collaborative initiative involving hotels, restaurants, wineries and local businesses led by Vintage Hotels.  The inaugural event, from May 9 to May 12 (the Mothers’ Day weekend) will showcase the beauty of spring in NOTL and kick off the tourist season, with the goal of evolving into an iconic annual celebration. 

The Highlights:

  • Frankie Flowers, of Breakfast Television, is the featured host and will broadcast live from The Gardens at Pillar and Post

  • Floral Displays: Imaginative large-scale floral installation inspired by food in Old Town and select Niagara-on-the-lake locations

  • Bonnet Luncheon: Kickoff event at the Barn 

  • The Garden Fair: Floral art, boutique shopping, garden expert speakers, and gourmet bite & beverage vendors

  • Gala Dinner: Floral-inspired culinary experience and wine pairing, celebrating the creativity of local designers

Visit the Vintage Hotels website for more information about this event.

The Ambassador Connection

During this event, we have arranged with the Town to open the Court House to the public.  While our official season won’t start until the following weekend, the early opening will allow us to promote the Niagara-on-the-Lake In Bloom event to visitors on Queen Street as well as “test drive” the Court House Ambassador schedule that will start on May 16. Volunteer shifts will be available for sign-up in MAP by mid-April.

Ambassador Team

Ambassador Mentorship Program

Now that the Ambassador Team approaches 100 strong, it becomes increasingly challenging to ensure the consistent transfer of information and expertise needed to  make every visitor encounter an extraordinary experience.

There will be a new information tool this season – The Ambassador Handbook - designed to inform, educate and support both new and experienced volunteers in their Ambassador roles.  But how do we ensure expertise on engagement skills is transferred to new volunteers?  That’s the goal behind a pilot Mentorship Program being launched in 2025 under the leadership of Rosemarie Hobson. 

Rosemarie has recruited a team of 16 experienced Ambassadors to act as Mentors to the 30 new volunteers.  They will offer an ongoing, personal learning experience that introduces mentees to the Ambassador role and ensures skill development and the consistent transfer of information. 

We all look forward to learning from the pilot program so we can strengthen our “on-boarding” process to support our growing Team.

Shout Out to Cheryl Yamamoto

Those of you who attended Orientation Sessions last year will remember Cheryl Yamamoto as the enthusiastic, energetic facilitator who welcomed you to the Team.   To those of us on the Leadership Team, she has been a bright light sharing her knowledge and expertise on everything from strategic planning to operational details.   Cheryl has decided to step away from the Leadership role but will continue welcoming and greeting visitors in her Ambassador role.  While we’ll miss her on the Team, we’ll look forward to working with her “on the street”. 

And for anyone who would like to step into her shoes, and lead our training initiatives, Laurie or Vlad would love to hear from you.

Laurie Harley   laurieharley24@gmail.com
Vlad Haltigin   vhalt@cogeco.ca

Congratulations Carter Simpson

Your fantastic journey on the slopes of Sestriere made its way back in NOTL and landed in the hearts of all your Ambassador colleagues.  We’re SO PROUD of you – not only the your bronze medals  you won but how well you represented our community on the world stage.

You’re the BEST!!!

If you would like to join in the celebrations, Konzelmann Estate Winery announced on Facebook (NOTL 4 All) that they are hosting a special community event to celebrate Carter's incredible achievements.  It will take place on Thursday April 10th from 4 to 7 pm, at Konzelmann Estate Winery. 


We are so grateful to each and every NOTL Ambassadors for your commitment, your enthusiasm and your special talent for making our Town such a special place to visit. 

Co-Leads: Vlad  & Laurie

Leadership Team: Elena, Kathryn, Patti, Shelley