History

The St. Mary's Canossian College Alumni Association (Toronto Chapter) was the brainchild of Sister Esther Ling and Mother Ida, current and past principals of our Alma Mater.  Seeing the proliferation of past St. Marians in the Toronto area during their visits to Canada, they encouraged the formation of an alumni association in Toronto.

A group of pioneers started to lay the groundwork - to uncover past St. Marians, and enlist them to become a part of the alumni association.  Their hard work paid off on February 7, 1987, when the Association was officially inaugurated.  The 1 st general meeting took place at Rebecca Ling's residence, attended by 37 members, accompanied with 30 pot luck dishes.  Rebecca also graciously accepted to become the founding President.  Deanna  Cheung was the Vice President, Kathy Tsang the Treasurer and Carolina Wong the Secretary.  In 1989, Katherine Hauw took over the helm and has been re-elected for two subsequent terms.  Katherine was succeeded by Deanna Cheung, while Theresa Tang is the current serving President.  Under the leadership of  successive Presidents, the Association thrives :

  • Membership has increased from 44 to approximately 150
  • Ongoing communication is maintained with our Alma Mater
  • Summer Picnics, Fall outings, Christmas Dinners, and other ad hoc activities are organized on an annual basis
  • Newsletters are distributed regularly
  • St. Mary's was a founding member and has played an active role in the Joint Hong Kong Catholic Schools Alumni  Valentine Ball
  • An annual scholarship is offered to a needy student at our Alma Mater's discretion

Over the years, many St. Marians have served and contributed to the Association in different capacities.  Many friendships have been formed or renewed, much knowledge shared and passed on, many a tale of woe and laughter spun and woven into our fabric of life.

The Alumni Association has been instrumental in bringing our focus back to the past, but it is also a force that urges us to look to the future.  With that in mind, let's look forward to many more years of friendship and mutual support!