The Rowan House Society has a new, old chairman.

Chris Tulloch is back after a short sabbatical and is happy to see the society continuing to go beyond just being a shelter.

"I am a big believer in making sure people understand that there's things we can do, there's help available. Rowan House is not just an emergency shelter, this is something that we grew into during my last chairmanship where we really focused on getting into the schools, getting into the community and teaching people about coping skills instead of violence," Tulloch says. "This is not a women's problem, this is a man's problem and this is one of the reasons why it's important to have at least one man on the board."

He's very interested in seeing more growth and diversity on the board.

Executive director Linette Soldan says she's thrilled to have Tulloch back.

"We are ecstatic because Chris comes to us with a wealth of knowledge, he has a deep passion for Rowan House and its programs as well as for the rural community, so yes, very excited," she says.

Tulloch says he's very excited to be back.

"Some of the residents have said previously that the house is full of love and I can only say that's so true. I remember when we first opened after the flood in 2013, we'd been open less than six months and then got flooded out and had to close again which was gut wrenching, to hear children laughing was just such an emotional moment," Tulloch says.