Doing good for the community
Marilyn Buttery was inspired early on in life to always do good for her community. She’s continued that throughout her life most recently supporting veterans and other programs at St. Joseph’s.
From an early age, Marilyn Buttery was encouraged by her mother to “be good to your community.” With those words firmly planted in her head and heart, Marilyn made up her mind that she was “going to do this and do it well!”
As the founder of CommonWealth Financial in Strathroy, Marilyn observed firsthand the benefits of giving.
“I learned by watching my philanthropic clients,” says Marilyn, who retired in 2019. “I saw the benefit of their gifts to charity, to their community, and to the client themselves.”
In 2017, during Canada’s 150th anniversary, Marilyn invited her clients to donate $150 to the charity of their choice, along with a promise to personally match each donation.
“What was so wonderful about the initiative was that I was able to learn about so many different charities in our community while showing my clients that ‘what’s important to you is important to me.’”
Marilyn has continued to learn by example through her involvement in organizations such as 4-H Ontario, Junior Farmers Association of Ontario, The Rotary Club of Strathroy, and the Order of the Eastern Star.
As a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Marilyn witnessed her chapter’s Worthy Matron and Patron support the care programs based at St. Joseph's Health Care London’s Parkwood Institute. “I greatly admire them and their giving is what inspired me to also support St. Joseph’s,” she says.
Marilyn has been generously contributing to St. Joseph’s since 2016, giving to its rehabilitation programs, the Complex Care Program, and, most recently, the Veterans Care Program.
In June 2024, Marilyn attended St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation’s annual Hall of Heroes celebration, an event that honours the community’s unwavering support of veterans who now make their home at Parkwood. This year's event showcased the Music Therapy program, featuring talks by music therapists and a heartwarming performance by the veterans choir.
The experience struck a chord with Marilyn, who plays the piano for the Eastern Star and shares a love of music. “I was more than impressed with how the event was put together,” she says. “Hearing the choir sing and learning about the psychology behind the music and its ability to bring people together was truly amazing.”
Marilyn’s generosity to the community extends beyond St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation. She supports several other organizations, including the Strathroy Middlesex Hospital Foundation, YMCA, VON, and Middlesex Community Living.
Marilyn notes that much of her charitable work has been done quietly without a lot of fanfare – and she’s proud of that. “I give because it's the right thing to do.”