When Wendy Morley noticed a shortage of adults between the ages of 18 and 35 in Orangeville a few years back, she decided someone should do something about providing educational opportunities to keep them here, and she nominated herself as that person.

“People stay here until they finish high school, move away for (post secondary) school, then move back to raise a family. I think this is detrimental to the community,” she says. “How can a community be whole if it’s missing a fifth of its population? People in their 20s are vibrant and exciting. They make things happen.” Wendy says she thought about it for a couple of years and then, “in the spring of 2003 one day when I was at work I had an epiphany. The town needed a college or university. This would bring the youth back, provide nonmarket based jobs, provide help and incentive for local industry, and help support small businesses.”

Two years later, with the entrepreneurial help and co-operation of Doc Gillies and the political support of Mayor Drew Brown and Orangeville bureaucrats, Wendy was rewarded with attainment of her goal and receipt, along with the Town, of a Humber College “strategic alliance” award.

Achievement was partly tenacity and partly good luck, but Wendy prefers to talk about her good luck — neglecting to include the truism that “the harder you work the luckier you get.”

She had approached Doc Gillies because someone had told her he probably owned or controlled at least one tract that would be suited to a college campus. Although Mr. Gillies didn’t have such a tract, she says, he worked with her to find such a site.

She had considered Georgian College as a candidate because it already had an Orangeville presence. But Georgian wasn’t quite ready for such a move.

On a hunch, she phoned Humber president Robert “Squee” Gordon, who initially wasn’t certain about the location, except for the fact that Humber was thinking of expanding somewhere. After a few interviews, and an outline of the property that might be available, Mr. Gordon began to favour Orangeville as the “somewhere.”

Wendy gives much of the credit to lucky timing for the eventual Humber announcement of its planned Orangeville campus. But she also says Mr. Gillies remained with her throughout all the meetings that led to realization of the dream. And she gives a lot of credit to Orangeville Town Council and town hall staff for obtaining the 28 acres on Veterans Way, and rezoning those for development of the college.

Once the Town was completely on board, Wendy’s major work was complete. However, she says, “Nancy Heuther (economic development officer) would call me up to let me know what was happening, but it was a pleasant surprise when I finally got the invitation to the announcement (at the site).

“I was devastated that I couldn’t make it, but I heard that (Mayor) Drew Brown had given me credit during his speech.”

Wendy is happy to outline her role in bringing a college to Orangeville, not to give herself any credit but to point out that one person with a dream can make something happen — provided that others are willing to come on board.

“This would not have worked if everyone hadn’t been on board. As soon as I contacted Drew, he was excited. I know that much had to be done through the town — buying the land and, I believe, rezoning. Humber, and more specifically (president Gordon), was open to hearing what I had to say.”

And, yes, she says often that luck was involved in the process, along with determination and tenacity.