Up until two years ago, I was Sheila Fleming. Changing my last name to DeLuca has been an option since I was 16 years old, but what do you know at 16? Throughout my 20’s and 30’s I never gave it much thought since I always dreamed about getting married and dropping my last name forever. However, when this did not happen, during my 40th year I started to take my family history and name a little more seriously.  So, I decided to fill out the paperwork and submit it to the Government of Canada on May 28, 2018. With much personal growth and learning about and understanding my family history on October 31st, 2018 it became official, I, Sheila Fleming, would join my family in having the DeLuca last name.  I would finally be a DeLuca! Since I have changed my last name, I have found family members and “paisans” (a shortened word of paisano, meaning a fellow ethnic Italian) of my late grandparents, Giannino (John) and Dea DeLuca, with two Italian couples living just two blocks away from me in Niagara Falls, with one of the couples being Gino and Irma Giallonardo. 

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The transition into a new chapter of my life, began with a new name, a new decade, and a new business.  DeLuca Leadership was born to create a legacy for me and my family.  I have never been a stranger to learning about civic duty to leadership, volunteering, working on committees and working with like-minded people to get a job done. Through out my education career as a student I sat on many committees such as the Brock University Phys. Ed Student Council that was instrumental in the development of the new additions to the Physical Education Department including the gymnasiums and different courses being offered. Growing up in Port Colborne I always enjoyed volunteering with the city and the Recreation Department as a summer student, while having 3 or 4 summer jobs. I needed to be in the community, learning, growing, and serving from a young age and still do now.

           

As a secondary school teacher in Niagara Falls, I believe that one must practice what they preach and with Civics and Careers being two of my favorite subjects to teach, I currently sit on two subcommittees of the Niagara Falls City Council; The Recreation Committee and The Park in the City Committee. With active involvement in community participation throughout my life, I have made many contacts and built a wide base of business, education, and charitable networks.  It is through my strength of community building, I realize, what I do naturally is connect people with meaningful work, diverse education, and fulfilling volunteer opportunities. If community is unity then as we bond, grow, and expand together, we can all build community strong.