Doug Poulton and his wife Sandra (above) during the time they owned the White Sails Bakery.
Doug Poulton, the inspiration behind many community activities in and around St Margaret’s Bay, died suddenly on December 22. He was 71.
Doug’s initiative prompted the formation of the Seniors Association of St Margaret’s Bay, and he later served as president.
He was instrumental in creating the St Margaret’s Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Hammonds Plains Business Association.
Heather Cochrane, a past president of the Seniors Association, described Doug as ‘a community catalyst’, someone who was adept at identifying a need within a community and getting people to work together to find a solution.
In 2014 Doug was named Citizen of the Year by the St Margaret’s Bay Lions Club. The award was given for his volunteer work in the community.
Doug had deep roots in his community. He and his wife Sandra were long-time residents of Glen Haven. For 20 years he ran the White Sails Bakery in Tantallon. When he sold the bakery he focused his business interest on real estate with Enter Realty.
He was involved with the St Margaret’s Bay Regional Tourism Association, the St Margaret’s Bay Business Association, the Whynachts Cove Environmental Society, and Relay for Life.
In 2012 he offered himself as a candidate for District 13 (Hammonds Plains – St Margaret’s) of HRM.
At the time of his death, Doug and Sandra were living in Mill Cove.
Donate to Support For Sandra Poulton
The community is raising funds that will go directly to Doug’s funeral expenses as well as transition support for Sandra his wife, who depended on Doug for her livelihood and care.
This generous and caring man gave so much of himself for the betterment of the community, it is time for the community to show some support for Sandra in his memory to ease the worry and burden on those left behind.
Doug Poulton: memories of a man with a knack for getting people to work together for the community
Doug Poulton (2nd from right) and other directors of the Seniors Association in July 2011. From left John McKee, Joan Murray, Carol Evans, Heather Cochrane, Doug, Edward Bottrell. (Fred Dolbel took the picture).
From Heather Cochrane (treasurer, past president, Seniors Association)
In 2009 Doug convened a community meeting to discuss seniors’ housing in the Bay area. He was in the process of selling his business, White Sails Bakery, and was well aware of the lack of housing options for seniors in the St. Margaret’s Bay area.
Doug had a pretty good idea of needs in the community, not only housing, because the Food Bank was located on the upper floor of his bakery.
The community room at Superstore was filled to capacity.
From that meeting a small group was formed and met after closing hours at the bakery. Doug would place a plate of bakery squares on the table to aid the brainstorming and list making.
From that an association was formed with the goal of making a seniors- friendly community.In retrospect Doug could most accurately be described as a community catalyst: he was able to identify a need and then the community would step up to make it happen.
From John Glover (owner, Redmonds Hardware, past SMB Chamber of Commerce director)
Doug Poulton was a man truly committed to his community. As the founder and long-time owner of White Sails Bakery, he was a well-known entrepreneur who felt the local business community needed a voice.
He was the driving force in starting the St. Margaret’s Bay Chamber of Commerce and was its first president. He was also instrumental in starting the Hammonds Plains Business Association.
Doug was passionate about shopping locally and never shy about expressing the importance of it. The business community has lost a true friend.
From Fred Dolbel (Vice President, Seniors Association)
A personal anecdote attesting to Doug’s persuasive abilities: in mid-2009 I dropped into White Sails Bakery (Doug and Sandra’s shop) with a friend who was buying a few loaves of bread. I did not know Doug before then.
I came out of Doug’s bakery with a loaf of bread – and as a newly minted volunteer to help form a seniors association.
