Community Champion Whitehead: A lifetime in Bolton, a lifetime of giving back

By Riley Murphy

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

This year's recipient of the Caledon's Community Champion Award is not only someone who has spent their whole life volunteering, but someone who has spent their whole life here in Bolton.

Carole Whitehead is Caledon's 2025 Community Champion, and knows the Caledon community like the back of her hand.

Whitehead came to Bolton when she was four-years-old, and although she had plans to move elsewhere, she never did end up leaving.

Her volunteer life began when she was just 12, when she started helping at the United Church with Sunday School and the choir.

Looking at Whitehead's long list of accomplishments, it would be safe to assume she never stopped volunteering after that.

She shared her volunteer projects often led from one to another.

Whitehead has been a Director for the Albion Bolton Historical Society for more than 25 years, but she initially had no intention of joining, she joked.

It wasn't until she found herself cleaning out her parents' attic that her curiosity about Caledon's past was piqued.

Her parents had settled in Bolton in 1941, and over the years, collected a multitude of things.

“They were both teachers and involved in the Masonic Lodge, Eastern Star, things like that. I just found so much that gave me a visual picture of life in Bolton the way it was, and that sparked an interest,” she shared.

Following this, Whitehead got involved with the Bolton Fair, where she helped with the antique showings.

She said that this is where her local knowledge began to expand significantly.

“Showing my Bolton things, and being there to hear other people talk about their Bolton things, it's always the stories that are involved; it isn't the object itself that's so important,” said Whitehead.

Whitehead became an Associate Director of Antiques for the Albion Bolton Fair in 1995, and remains so to this day.

She shared that, in her role as a Director for the Albion Bolton Historical Society, and as the oldest member on the Board raised in Bolton, she can often answer questions that no one else can.

But she said it isn't so much the answering questions that makes her enjoy the role, but talking to people.

“I feel I can be useful. I meet people, and I learn things,” she said.

With the Albion Bolton Historical Society, Whitehead spearheaded the Trillium Grant for the society to raise money for the display panels at the Humber River Heritage Park. 

The display is now a prominent historical feature in the town.

Whitehead's volunteer past often aligns with history, as she was a part of the school reunion committee for her old school, The Albert Street School, here in Bolton.

She said although it felt like herding cats at the beginning, they were able to hold many reunions in Bolton for 15 successful years.

The school burned down in 1968, making it difficult to pass down the reunions to younger generations who had only briefly attended.

She also currently volunteers at her church and joked that she has volunteered there “forever.”

Whitehead began volunteering there in 1960 and given her time as the church historian.

She said she was glad she had volunteered at each place she had in the past, and that she got to meet a lot of people while doing so.

Despite all her work for the community, Whitehead said she was “absolutely stunned” and “humbled” to learn that she had been named the 2025 Community Champion.

“There are so many people who do so much more than I do. I found out when somebody from the Town phoned me and said that this had happened. I don't think I believed it,” she remarked, laughing.

Whitehead encourages the community to use their own time to volunteer.

“Come out to the historical site. Come out to the fair. Volunteer, use your time. Anything that interests you in Bolton, be a soccer coach. Volunteer for CCS. There are all sorts of opportunities,” she said. “And you will meet people, you will learn things. It's good.”