Celebrating London Women's History

            Although she grew up a shy girl in a tight-knit Virginian community, Margaret Hoff grew into a confident figure and, in turn, developed a strong voice.

            After living a relatively sheltered childhood that was perhaps inevitable given the closeness of her family and the size of her hometown, Margaret made a concerted effort to broaden her horizons. The first step in that direction was her decision to enroll at Madison College where Ms. Hoff pursued a liberal arts degree that was not a typical educational path for young women of the time.

Subsequent to the completion of her degree, Margaret realized her dream of travelling to a foreign culture in order to help those less fortunate than the average American by journeying with a church group to Tanzania in the summer of 1964. While there, Margaret participated in the building of a new missionary school, and it was during this life-changing trip that Margaret developed a strong sense of self-confidence and determination.

Upon her return to a United States divided over the Vietnam War, Margaret and her husband David decided to move to Canada. After settling in London, the new reality surrounding Margaret allowed her to comfortably further her goal of making a difference in the world.

Her founding of London’s Daycare Services Committee maintains Margaret’s impressive legacy, and her work with young women throughout the London community has given many impressionable individuals a role model who would urge them to follow their deepest passions in order to affect real change in the world.