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A group of crafters at Chartwell Tiffin Retirement Residence are putting their needles & crochet hooks to work to bring smiles to children at Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH). The Tiffin House Knitting/Crochet Group makes ‘Izzy’ dolls, along with rabbits and other crocheted creatures, which are donated each week to fill a treasure chest in the Emergency Department (ED) at the hospital. The dolls are offered to children in the ED to provide comfort when they are feeling unwell.

‘Izzy’ dolls were first created by Canadian Master Corporal Mark Isfeld’s mother Carol, who sent them to Corporal Isfeld so he would have something to give to the children he met while serving as a peacekeeper in Croatia. When he was killed in 1994, his comrades asked Carol to continue making the dolls for them to give out. Today, the knitting pattern can be found online, and volunteers across Canada – including the Tiffin House Knitting/Crochet Group – make the dolls and provide them for children in challenging situations.

“We have sent Izzy dolls to Cuba, to Poland for the Ukrainian refugees, to SickKids Hospital in Toronto, and to GBGH,” shares Debbie Allain-Michaud, organizer of the Tiffin House Knitting/Crochet Group. “Most of the ladies in our group are over 90, and they have so many projects on the go.”

The same group of crafters also wanted to give back to GBGH financially and held an in-house garage sale earlier this year, raising $400. These funds will be designated to help bring an MRI to GBGH, which is a high priority for the hospital this year.

“These hard-working ladies are such an inspiration, and we are honoured to be recipients of their generosity,” says Nicole Kraftscik, CEO, GBGH Foundation. “Purchasing and installing an MRI at GBGH is going to end the wait for hundreds of individuals in our community whose treatment is delayed because our region doesn’t have enough MRI capacity. The Tiffin House Knitting/Crochet Group is a shining example of philanthropy by doing what they can to bring this important imaging to Midland.”



On March 22, 2023, Coland Developments Corporation announced a $100,000 gift to the Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) Foundation. The gift will support the GBGH Foundation’s Impact Fund, supporting the most critical priorities for the hospital. Coland Developments’ co-owner and shareholder, David Colagiacomo, first shared the news of the gift at the Foundation’s Power of Giving Gala in September 2022, with the first $20,000 donated to the event.

Coland Developments is a developer and general contracting construction company that specializes in the design build of medical and dental buildings, retail buildings, institutional buildings, daycare buildings, hospitality and professional or corporate buildings.  They are currently renovating the medical offices at 240 Penetanguishene Road, developing the Midland Town Centre (710 Balm Beach Road E.), and have future plans for Midland Market Square (Highway 12, west of Beamish Road).

“Coland is working to build a stronger, healthier and safer community in Midland because we believe that this is an excellent, growing area that merits investment and first-class development,” shares Robert Colagiacomo, President of Coland Developments. “We are committed to this partnership with the GBGH Foundation because we recognize the needs of Georgian Bay General Hospital are long-term, and we want to work together to strengthen health care in this community.”

The annual pledge of $20,000 over the next five years will help the GBGH Foundation to address the mounting list of high priority equipment needs at the Midland hospital. GBGH has identified more than $11-million in equipment and technology that must be replaced or updated in the next few years, including a new MRI machine.

“This important partnership with Coland Developments is right in line with our mission is to empower GBGH to deliver exceptional health care,” says Nicole Kraftscik, CEO, GBGH Foundation. “They are strengthening community health care through development, and investing in the hospital to benefit every patient who comes through our doors.  We are incredibly grateful for their commitment.”

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Jeff Holloway, Director

Jeff works at RBC Dominion Securities in Midland and joined RBC Wealth Management in 2014. In his current role, Jeff provides wealth management solutions to business owners, executives, professionals, and retirees.

Prior to working at RBC, Jeff was a partner at a leadership consulting firm and was a vice president at a Fortune 500 consulting company. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) while working for a multinational audit, tax, and consulting firm, he was the Controller at the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

Jeff was born in Kitchener-Waterloo and spent most of his childhood living in Owen Sound.  He moved to the Midland area full-time in 2019. He graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honors degree in Mathematics (Computer Science). Jeff also holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation.

Jeff is very supportive of many worthwhile causes in our local community. Currently, he is the Treasurer for the Quest Art School and Gallery in Midland.