Our Place Respite Inc.

11/14/2025

Look for our Christmas fairy with our tree, take a selfie with it in front of our tree, post the picture and make sure to tag us !!! To enter a draw for a “Major Award!” Our tree is at the Elgin County Railway Museum Christmas Tree spectacular

11/14/2025

Our tree this year takes the cake, but not as much as our special Christmas fairy does! Find him, take a selfie with him and Jackson, then Send us your pic for an entry for a chance to win a prize on January 1st!….dont forget to put our special little man back for the next person to find!

11/13/2025

NOW’s the time! Team registration for the Pfeffer Derby 2026 is now OPEN! This year you can go straight to our website and register your team online!
Registration closes January 1st.

Some information to note-

*We have outgrown the Elgin County Railway Museum (yes… this makes us very sad)….so this year the derby will be held at the Joe Thorton Centre on May 22nd, 2026!

Please click this link to register your team- https://www.ourplacerespite.com/team-registration?fbclid=IwVERDUAODBBtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEet9F-yX89bUa4WmBw_3jocZaYD2OqtmMKfgX0Q_ilzBln5du5oueZwh4r1uE_aem_YSXcKM9sGzJotucVKFcpbQ

We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome your team to this year’s Pfeffer Derby! Whether you’re a returning favorite or gearing up for your very first lap down the track, your energy, creativity, and team spirit make this day what it is—a celebration of fun, inclusion, and community. To those wh...

11/13/2025

Check out our new website! Thanks to a very special lady who took so much time out of her schedule to put this together! We are loving everything about it!
www.ourplacerespite.com

11/13/2025

Come one, come all to the Elgin County Railway Museum’s Christmas Tree Spectacular!!!!! Today Robb, Beth, Laura, and Thomas were hard at work decorating a tree for OPR, and we have to admit….it’s extra spectacular! I mean Laura with a giant red bow on her head is spectacular enough, really! And if you looK really closely, you’ll see an extra special angel sitting right at the tippy top of our tree. But don’t take that from us, go see for yourself. There are so many trees and the magical feeling you will feel when you go will
put you right in the Christmas spirit! If you see our tree, don’t forget to take a selfie with Jackson or Jimmy who will
be on tree watching duty for the duration of the spectacular!

11/06/2025

Today we commemorate Sally O’Malley’s 50th birthday! Cause she's 50! I mean Sam! Sam is 50…We celebrate you today! Thank you for always poking fun at yourself, for always being onboard for all our crazy ideas and for making us laugh! Happy Birthday Sam!

11/05/2025

She thinks the hat makes her look silly!…But the fur coat, grandma dresses, wigs and costumes she wears around program on the daily don’t?
Happy Birthday to the lady that puts the “zazz” in “Pizazz”. Happy Birthday Julia!

11/03/2025

BIG NEWS!!!!!

We are absolutely elated to share that as of October 31st, 2025, Our Place Respite is officially a registered Not-for-Profit Organization!

A little over a year ago, Julia and I began exploring what it would mean to take this step. We spent countless hours researching, asking questions, and weighing every pro and con. With the incredible encouragement and wisdom of so many in our community, we finally made the leap — and today, we get to celebrate this milestone together.

To our staff who have stood by us through it all, have supported us, showed patience and love through the entire process, and held down the fort while Julia and I went to meeting after meeting after meeting…. Thank you. We appreciate you,and value you! You are one heck of a team!

A huge thank-you to Central United Church for your continued advice, support, and friendship throughout this journey.

And a massive shout-out to Wil Zufelt, the man who reminded us that we are worth the effort. Your guidance and belief in us opened doors we never thought possible. You pushed us when things were hard, celebrated our wins, and saw what we were capable of long before we did. Wil, your friendship means more to Julia and me than you will ever know.

To Uncle Paul, Jeff, and the many others who have cheered us on — thank you.

And to Brian and Sol, our deepest gratitude. We respect, admire, and appreciate every bit of advice, encouragement, and wisdom you’ve shared with us along the way.

But most of all… I want to take a moment to thank my partner in crime, Julia.

From the moment we decided to take this leap, she has not stopped. Julia dove in head-first — researching, building, networking, and laying the foundation for what Our Place Respite will become. She has poured her blood, sweat, and tears into this process, and I’ve had the privilege of watching her grow into an even stronger, more confident, and fearless businesswoman.
Her passion for what we do is unmatched. She’s seen me at my best — and at my absolute worst — and through it all, she’s stayed right by my side. We’ve laughed, cried, dreamed, and built something truly meaningful together.

Julia, thank you for everything you do.
For your heart, your brilliance, your drive, and your friendship.
We’ve come a long way, baby — and the best is still ahead. 💚

10/30/2025

Lord Farquaad & Gingy

10/23/2025

A little reflection from Julia 🩷

It’s hard to put into words how special Our Place feels — but here’s my best try.

I often get nostalgic looking at photos from our days together at program. Every morning, I walk into Our Place excited to see everyone — to share conversations, work through challenges, and figure out how we can best support each person.

After so many years together, we know each other so well. Not every day runs perfectly — some days are a little messy or unpredictable — but that’s part of the beauty of what we do. We work hard to make our environment fun, upbeat, and welcoming to anyone who joins us. Visitors often tell us, “I really like it here.”

That means a lot, because part of our mission is to break stereotypes about what a disability program looks like. We want people to come in with one mindset and leave with a whole new perspective — and most of the time, they do.

We have the best, most energetic team. They bring 100% every single day. And I don’t just say that — we truly enjoy each other’s company and work together like a well-oiled machine. They love what they do, and it shows.

I’m just so grateful to spend my days surrounded by the best people I know — doing what we love, and making a difference in ways big and small together. 🩷

10/22/2025

What are we getting ourselves into now!?! Laughing uncontrollably... Silence, everyone! ACTION!

10/22/2025

Celebrating this guy today! Happy birthday Pfeffy! We miss you more than words can express!❤️