Alexandra D’Agostino and Zachary Seguin who have been dating for over one year.
Alexandra D’Agostino is 27, and a Registered Nurse in Ottawa, ON. She has stuttered since she was seven, and is on the CSA’s Board of Directors as their Family and Youth Programming Coordinator. She is also an avid baker and musician. Zachary Seguin is a 26 year-old Technical Advisor at Statistics Canada in Ottawa, ON. Zachary is not a person who stutters, but he supports the CSA by assisting with technical components of the website. He has a strong interest in technology, amateur radio, curling and model trains. They have been dating for a little over a year, and their story is a classic “When Harry Met Sally” tale! They met in high school in London, ON, and they even lived together in Waterloo, ON for 3 years as friends while they were in university. After university, Zachary moved to Ottawa to work for Statistics Canada and Alexandra moved to Toronto for Nursing school. They can advocate that “distance does make the heart grow fonder”, as they continued to become closer and grow together in the 2 and a half years they were apart. After knowing each other for 11 years, they decided to finally take the next step in our friendship and try dating (despite the pandemic!). And now here they are a year later, happily living together in Ottawa and they’re hopeful that soon a feline member will be joining their little family!
Kim and David Block who both stutter and have been married for 18 years.
Kim and David Block have been married for 18 years and have two teenage children in Vancouver, BC. David is a Senior Software Engineer in the video game industry. They have been members of the stuttering community for over 20 years and both have volunteered time presenting at workshops, as keynote speakers, event organizers and both have served as leaders of different stuttering organizations.
David and Kim both met because of the Canadian Stuttering Association. At 20 years old, Kim found CSA’s contact information at the end of a book on stuttering, and wasn’t quite emotionally ready at the time to attend a support group but was looking for a pen pal. David was the coordinator of the CSA and he became her pen pal. Kim will sometimes joke when she shares this story with others that when she first saw David’s last name on the CSA website, she joked to herself that she would never marry him because his last name would be too hard to say, and she always knew when she got married she would want to take her husband’s name. David was just too irresistible, and Kim’s been stuttering on her married last name ever since.
Don and Zenia Morrier who have been married for 54 years!
Don and Zenia are a retired couple from Montreal, Quebec and have lived in Burlington, Ontario for 48 years. Don is a Civil Engineer and has worked as Manager in municipalities in Quebec and Ontario in Public Works. Zenia was a stay-at-home mom teaching evening craft classes in Burlington, Waterdown and Fruitland when their son and daughter were small. After retiring he worked as a Consultant traveling to Belize, Panama and India, and Zenia worked as Area Manager for Welcome Wagon covering a large area in southern Ontario. Having mutual friends they met just before New Year's Eve on a blind date in 1965. Zenia had no problems with Don's stutter and their relationship has continued to grow after 54 years - 2 children and 4 grandchildren. It was at the initiative and support from Zenia that Don took the PFSP course in Toronto in 1981. Don claims this changed his life, both socially and professionally. They continue enjoying their retirement - traveling all over the world, joining various interest clubs and seeing the US and Canada with their 5-wheel trailer. They have met scores of interesting people and throughout the US Don does not hesitate to approach anyone that has a Ontario license plate to chat with them. They have not looked back!
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PLUS! For every $20 you donate to the CSA through the registration form, you will be entered in a draw to win a $100 gift card of your choice! Deadline to enter the draw is 12 p.m. EST on Saturday, February 13.
Happy Valentine’s month!
Love and Romance are Centre Stage at the CSA February Event
Reserve your front row seat here!
Let’s Talk About Love… Are you wondering if you will ever find love? What will it be like to have to talk on dates? What about meeting family and friends? Wonder if you could text your wedding vows??? What if you pass on stuttering to your children? As persons who stutter, love can make us swoon and sweat for various reasons. Join us on Saturday, February 13 from 3 to 5 p.m. EST (12 to 2 p.m. PST) for a live interactive panel (on-line) consisting of three couples at different stages of relationship who will share their journeys of love and partnership, and answer questions about dating, marriage, raising a family and growing old together. There is sure to be something for everyone. Bring out the wine and chocolates, and Let’s Talk About Love!
Watch it Live or See it Later!
Reserve your front row seat here! Can’t make it? No problem. Register and you will be able to view a recording of the session at a more convenient time. PLUS! For every $20 you donate to the CSA, you will be entered in a draw to win a $100 gift card of your choice!