Joe Gray is a lifelong volunteer in the community
For many years he was involved in 4-H clubs in Peel. In 1962 he founded the Junior Farmers Club in Peel and in 1963 he was the Founding President of DixieLane Junior Farmers. As Secretary of Peel Junior Farmers, he chaired the committee that organized the Farewell Party of the Junior Farmers Building in Brampton when the Peel Agri-cultural Society sold the Fairgrounds to the City of Brampton.
He served on the Board of Directors of Peel Soil and Crop Improvement Associa-
tion and the Board of Peel County Holstein Club. He was Secretary-Treasurer of Peel
Federation of Agriculture for a number of years and was a Director of Ontario Federation Agriculture representing Peel. He chaired the Peel 2000 event held at the new Junior Farmers’ Hall at the Brampton Fairgrounds.
He was Secretary-Treasurer of Flowerlea Dairy Co-op for 13 years and later became a
delegate, board member and vice president at Gay Lea Foods Co-op. He was also Chair-
man of Dairyland Transport Co-op. For the last 14 years Joe has volunteered to help get rid of the invasive species such as purple loosestrife and phragmites, for the Town of Caledon and the Region of Peel, literally digging up hundreds of plants year after year.
He is also a very active member of Mayfield United Church, leading the Young
Peoples Group, singing in the choir, and serving on the board of stewards. He was
superintendent of the Senior Sunday School for two years. He helped raise funds for
their choir when they were invited to sing on stage at Carnegie Hall in 2019.
Gray was founding chair of Central Peel Group of Churches. This group of United
Churches grew to include churches beyond Peel and changed its name to The GIFT
Group (Growing In Faith Together).
One of his other passions is S.H.A.R.E. Agriculture Foundation, a small, volunteer-
managed charity that helps impoverished rural people in Central America, Bolivia,
Haiti and Columbia. He has been a strong supporter from its beginning in 1976.
He has been actively involved in municipal, provincial, and federal elections, campaigning
for many candidates through the years. In his own words, Joe says that “helping
others towards a better life, either here or internationally, is very rewarding, and I
have met and worked with many wonderful people, some now are great friends, and all
this is what keeps me going.”
