Pat and Anita were married in 1996 and are parents to four children (only one of whom is still living at home). They were both born and raised in Southern Ontario, and lived most of their married life there. They spent one year in Novi, Michigan, and 2 years as missionaries in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Anita manages the day-to-day workings of Ballast Lodge. She looks after bookings, billing, cleaning and social media. Anita has been taking courses in couples counseling. 

Pat takes care of the property management at Ballast Lodge. He also works at Teen Challenge Atlantic, a 12 month residential recovery centre, as the Spiritual Formation Coach. Pat is studying to become a certified addictions counselor.

Pat and Anita have always been eager and intentional about using the resources that God has given them to serve Him and His people, whether that’s skills, time, or possessions. This was, essentially, the impetus for creating Ballast Lodge.