Revitalizing History: Lord Dufferin IODE fundraises to replace vandalized nurse sculpture

By Sam Odrowski

A local not-for-profit women's group is one step closer to replacing a work of art in Orangeville that was vandalized last year.

“The Nurse” statute, commissioned by the Lord Dufferin IODE to mark its 100th anniversary in 2007, sat in front of the Lord Dufferin Centre Retirement Residence for nearly 15 years. In the summer of 2022, the statue was vandalized beyond repair, and roughly $8,000 is now required to replace it.

With the Lord Dufferin Centre operating as Orangeville's first hospital, the IODE felt it was important to have the nurse sculpture in that location and is now fundraising to replace it.

The IODE played a significant role in establishing Orangeville's first hospital in 1912, and volunteers from the group were trained to work as nurses, making it a fitting location for the statute.

The Lord Dufferin IODE has already fundraised $2,500 to replace the statue through its Dinner and Fashion Show event at Trattoria Semplice Restaurant (20 Dawson Rd.) on November 9. The sold-out event featured eight models showing off a variety of clothing from Classie Causal Boutique.

“It was such a great collaboration,” said Lord Dufferin IODE president Jessica Cerveny of the group's partnership with Classie Casual Boutique. “They were so easy to work with. They have this mobile unit they brought with them with all the racks of clothes. They did a ‘pop-up shop' after the show, which was nice. I think a lot of people were really excited for that part of the fashion show. They wanted to explore what the new fashions were.”

Now, the Lord Dufferin IODE is running a Christmas Plant Sale in hopes of raising more money to replace the nurse statute.

The plants are $20 each and can be pre-ordered by calling Dori at 519-941-1865 or Jessica at 647-286-2147.

The Christmas plants are available for pick up at the 10 and 10 Garden Centre (634026 Highway 10, Mono) on December 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Funds raised through this sale will support the many local not-for-profits that the Lord Dufferin IODE supports annually, in addition to the nurse statute. These organizations include the Orangeville Public Library, Orangeville Food Bank and Headwaters Health Care Centre.

The Lord Dufferin IODE estimates that the Christmas Plant Sale should generate $1,200 for the organization.

When the nurse statue is replaced, the Lord Dufferin IODE is looking at reinforcing its base so it can't be knocked over as easily, as well as placing it further back from the sidewalk, in hopes of preventing future vandalism.

Looking ahead to next year, the IODE hopes to bring back the fashion show and make it an annual event.

In the meantime, Dori Ebel from the Lord Dufferin IODE said she'd encourage those who would like to support the return of the nurse sculpture to reach out to lorddufferiniode@gmail.com.

“If there's anyone in the community that so feels they'd like that bit of history back, we'd love to have their donation, and they can get a receipt,” said Ebel.