Heather Zak Campbellford Paddle - SUP |
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Author: Susan Pomfret
Photos: Heather Zak May 2019 |
Heather Zak, who co-owns Campbellford Paddle – SUP with her husband Mark Malcolm, has a favourite parable. Often told through the years with many variations, the story of the Starfish is her mantra. You don’t have to save the whole world to make a difference.
An old man out for his morning stroll sees a young woman on a beach surrounded by hundreds of starfish stranded by the receding tide. She picks up one, and then another, hurling them back home to the sea. “You’ll never save them all,” the man says. “I know,” she says, “but I saved that one.”
Winners, Trent Hills Business Excellence Award, Customer Experience. With MPP David Piccini, April 2019
Heather and Mark moved to Campbellford four years ago and launched Campbellford Paddle on Queen Street. The waterfront destination offers a 300-foot beach on the scenic Trent River for Standup Paddleboard instruction and rental of boards, canoes and kayaks. Highly successful thus far, the business was recognized with the 2019 Business Excellence Award, Customer Experience category by the Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce at its ceremony in April. The couple opened Barefoot Paddle, a storefront on Bridge Street offering a sales showroom, last year.
Heather’s first experience with paddleboarding was ten years ago in Costa Rica where her son owned a Surf Shop. Despite reports of heavy crocodile presence, they took the scheduled tour. “Crocodiles hardly ever eat anyone,” the guide assured them. It didn’t take her long to get hooked on the sport, she says.
Living in a waterfront home in Lakefield before moving to Trent Hills, Heather was able to spend time paddleboarding while working as Chief Executive Officer of the United Way in Peterborough. Now retired, she and Mark are both certified paddleboard instructors. He owns a gas station and garage business, Mark’s Maintenance, in Nestleton which is managed by his son. He is also a renowned photographer.
Living in a waterfront home in Lakefield before moving to Trent Hills, Heather was able to spend time paddleboarding while working as Chief Executive Officer of the United Way in Peterborough. Now retired, she and Mark are both certified paddleboard instructors. He owns a gas station and garage business, Mark’s Maintenance, in Nestleton which is managed by his son. He is also a renowned photographer.
She is passionately devoted to paddleboarding from both a physical and a spiritual perspective. The biomechanics of paddling engage major muscle groups throughout the body so it offers experienced users a great workout, Heather says. “It is also very meditative and mindful. You’re so immersed in nature and so aware, so connected to the earth through the water.”
She is passionately devoted to paddleboarding from both a physical and a spiritual perspective. The biomechanics of paddling engage major muscle groups throughout the body so it offers experienced users a great workout, Heather says. “It is also very meditative and mindful. You’re so immersed in nature and so aware, so connected to the earth through the water.”
"When we teach basic SUP lessons, we put a lot of focus on getting students to use core muscles and more precise paddling techniques, which improve performance dramatically, but also remove stress from small joints and muscles. This builds body strength, balance and coordination. Standup paddling is a sport or recreation for just about anyone. You can enjoy it without ever standing up if you like. People paddle from their knees or sitting down," she explains. "One of the things that appeals the most to me about all types of paddling is that it is for everyone and for a lifetime. So many sports have to be given up as we age, but not paddling. We see senior citizens paddleboarding, kayaking, and canoeing all the time on our river, and even competing. And we have taught children as young as 4 years to SUP - they pick it up very quickly and we have child sized standup paddleboards.
"Paddling is for everyone and for a lifetime," Heather says.
Heather, 2013
Heather’s path has led her in many unexpected directions. Growing up in Toronto, she has “always been a writer” and had her first poem published in the Toronto Telegram at age seven. Still in high school at 17 years of age, she landed her first writing job with The Etobicoke Gazette, sister paper of The Mississauga News. “I wrote a very proper social column,” she laughs. “Mrs. Smith attended at the home of Mrs. Jones for tea....”.
Journalistic instinct took over. She began scouting out upcoming events and airing the news in her column. This was such a resounding success that the format was adopted by all papers in the Gazette network. She eventually became an Editor of the Mississauga News.
She was attending the Journalism program at Ryerson University when she met her first husband, a sports journalist. Her work was being widely published at the time. She had added humourous columns to her repertoire and often found her writing displayed on the bulletin boards at Ryerson. Heather held some prestigious positions in the field as reporter, columnist and editor for Canadian Press and Chatham Daily News. She received the Ontario Newspaper Award for Humourous Writing in 1990.
They settled into family life and had four children. Heather lost a child and had a near-death experience, a turning point in her life that changed her focus to social work. She subsequently completed the Social Development Studies program at the University of Waterloo and went on to act as the Project Coordinator for the Premier’s Council on Health, Wellbeing and Social Justice. She published four books in the early 90’s, one on pregnancy loss titled “The Child Who Might Have Been”. As well as a children’s book, she published a resource for elementary educators on Death, Loss and Change Education, largely a product of her prior work with VON Palliative Care.
Heather became a widow shortly thereafter, in her 30’s with her youngest child still a toddler. She raised her family and continued to work, something she feels helped her to survive an unimaginable tragedy.
The remainder of her working career was spent in the non-profit sector. She held the position of CEO/Executive Director of four not-for-profit charitable organizations including a residential hospice and Big Brothers. She is, she says, “seasoned” in all aspects of board governance and a specialist in strategic communications. Heather always enjoyed the public speaking aspects of her positions. She has unfailingly been involved in the communities around her, lending her expertise to all levels of government and non-profit organizations to benefit causes and programs she believes in.
Mark Malcolm and Heather Zak
She and Mark will be celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary this summer. They were married on the beach in Campbellford. “It finally dawned on us,” she remembers of their decision to semi-retire to Trent Hills, “that our kids were working summers and wintering somewhere warm, while we were working all the time.” Standup Paddle is rather a family tradition. Her son, home from Costa Rica, runs Peterborough SUP and her daughter, Ottawa SUP.
She and Mark will be celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary this summer. They were married on the beach in Campbellford. “It finally dawned on us,” she remembers of their decision to semi-retire to Trent Hills, “that our kids were working summers and wintering somewhere warm, while we were working all the time.” Standup Paddle is rather a family tradition. Her son, home from Costa Rica, runs Peterborough SUP and her daughter, Ottawa SUP.
They love their waterfront property. It was a fluke find, Heather says, and followed by tragedy when the owner died on the day they put in their offer. Beloved community icon Mrs. Collard was in her 90’s and a fast friendship was formed between the Malcolms and her family as the estate issues were sorted out.
They love their waterfront property. It was a fluke find, Heather says, and followed by tragedy when the owner died on the day they put in their offer. Beloved community icon Mrs. Collard was in her 90’s and a fast friendship was formed between the Malcolms and her family as the estate issues were sorted out.
Heather has actively embraced life in the community since she put down roots. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Campbellford Memorial Hospital and has joined several Board Committees including Finance & Audit. “It’s what I do,” she says. “I’ve accumulated a lifetime of skills and I want to use them to give back, to make a difference.”
Jamaica, 2018, for a destination wedding
She and Mark are taking time to smell the roses. Although Campbellford Paddle keeps them busy throughout the summer months, winter offers them an opportunity for some travel to warmer climes. They are dedicated to painting classes with Ron Bergeron, the Artist in Residence at the Cobourg Museum, who offers programs in Campbellford. They’re both excited at the Plein Air (outdoor) painting sessions to come in the nicer weather.
She and Mark are taking time to smell the roses. Although Campbellford Paddle keeps them busy throughout the summer months, winter offers them an opportunity for some travel to warmer climes. They are dedicated to painting classes with Ron Bergeron, the Artist in Residence at the Cobourg Museum, who offers programs in Campbellford. They’re both excited at the Plein Air (outdoor) painting sessions to come in the nicer weather.
Heather dreams of offering nature meditation classes on paddleboards. “Wouldn’t that just be perfect?”, she asks. She no longer believes that it’s her job to save the world. Heather is enjoying life with her partner and the many new friends they've made in Trent Hills. They love their zen-like early mornings on the water, their flourishing business enterprises and their art. She is satisfied saving one starfish at a time.