QUARTER CENTURY CLUB

Elsie Myette

The community of Whitby, Ontario is certainly richer for having been the home of Elsie Myette for almost 50 years. Throughout this time she has been a tireless and committed volunteer for dozens of agencies, organizations and programs, many of which would not exist if not for her efforts.

Elsie retired as a nurse from the Whitby Mental Health Centre, but it wasn’t long before she was welcomed back by staff and residents in a volunteer capacity. For 17 years she has spent countless afternoons with residents, playing cards, organizing bingo, often just lending a sympathetic ear. On her own, Elsie initiated a monthly celebration, providing cake and ice cream to mark residents’ birthdays. She has made time to shop at Christmas for as many as 50 residents, ensuring that everyone, particularly those without family and friends, wakes with a gift Christmas morning. These are gestures that exemplify the generous and compassionate devotion that Elsie brings to all of her volunteer activities.

The Town of Whitby Seniors Activity Centre is another one of Elsie’s favourite organizations and she has provided a leadership role there since joining in 1988. She has served on the Board of Directors as well as countless committees in addition to volunteering weekly on the front desk. Several times a year Elsie organizes a “new members” reception for new registrants at the Centre – calling and inviting everyone herself! She organizes several of the Centres’ annual social events – the Christmas Dinner, a strawberry social that attracts over 150 guests and raises money for the Osteoporosis Society, and the Celebration of Age. Her caring goes beyond the Centre, however, and she frequently calls on members in their homes, hospital rooms or nursing homes to drop off food, offer a ride, or just do a little “friendly visiting”.

Elsie has long been a volunteer with Durham Community Care, lending a hand wherever needed, whether that is fundraising or serving as a member of the local advisory committee.

For many years Elsie has been a lifeline for callers to the Durham Distress Centre, and as a volunteer with Hospice Durham, she offers her unique skills and warmth to palliative patients in their own homes. She has also been a longtime volunteer with the Whitby Public Library, delivering books to homebound seniors.

Elsie’s neighbours have come to expect the knock at the door that signifies the quarterly food drive that she organizes, collecting an impressive quantity of food for local food banks. For nearly two decades she has organized a Christmas fundraiser in her home for the Salvation Army.

In 2005, the year of the Towns’ sesquicentennial, another one of Elsie’s projects was launched – Communities in Bloom, for which she serves on the Steering Committee and is one of the judges.

Many other local organizations have come to rely on Elsie’s willingness and skill as a fundraiser, and she is only too happy to canvass for the Alzheimer’s Society, the Osteoporosis Society, the Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Elsie Myette has received numerous honours and awards for her tremendous service to the community, she is renowned for her passionate commitment to enriching the lives of her neighbours, and improving the quality of life in her beloved Town of Whitby.

Elsie says only of her numerous volunteer activities “I am glad to help”. She is truly an example to us all.

Eric Bolton

Many people are reluctant to become volunteers out of concern about the commitment that might be expected of them. Not so Eric Bolton, who along with his wife Gladys, spent thirty seven years as a volunteer with the Yonge Street Mission. He began serving at the Mission in 1958, and with rare exceptions, he was there every week.

The Yonge Street Mission, which is presently in its new home in the Parliament and Gerrard area of downtown Toronto, is called to demonstrate God’s love, peace and justice to the people living in economic, social and spiritual poverty in Toronto.

Eric was there week in and week out, serving meals to the homeless and to those living with disabilities, but his service went beyond simply distributing meals, he was there to offer support and comfort as well. He was always able to pick out those individuals who were particularly in need of a willing ear, and a shoulder for support. Over the many, many years of his role at the Mission he has helped hundreds – a nominator suggests thousands - of people, and had a lasting impact on their lives. Eric’s compassionate, caring nature allowed him to befriend many people whose lives were otherwise empty of the supports that most of us enjoy from family and friends.

Many lonely people who met Eric through the mission would be surprised to have him follow up with a phone call, checking in to see that they were weathering whatever personal storm they had discussed with him.

Eric’s kindness and genuine interest in others led him to also serve for many years as a friendly visitor at Toronto East General Hospital. His calm and quiet manner made him a very welcome bedside visitor for those patients facing challenges and struggles with their health.

For the past ten years Eric has been making his time available to his local Out of the Cold program, where again he offers much, much more to the visitors than simply the food on the table.

Eric has been very generous with his time over the years, but there is great satisfaction for volunteers who know that they have made a difference – and Eric Bolton should be particularly proud of his commitment to others.

Arthur Glassford

Most important among Art’s early commitments was his wartime service spent in the Canadian Army, where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant. He has since committed over 25 years to the Canadian Armoured Corps, Royal Canadian Service Corp.

Art was a Founding Member of the John Howard Society of Sault Ste Marie and District in 1962, and has remained a Life Member to this day. It was as a result of his tireless efforts that the organization secured the United Way funding that allowed them to begin assisting offenders in their reintegration into the community. Not only has Art provided leadership through his roles on the Board of Directors, but he worked directly with offenders as a volunteer for the Ministry of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Art’s over 40 year service with the John Howard Society has been recognized with a Life Membership at the provincial organization – John Howard Society of Ontario.

The Sault Ste Marie Chamber of Commerce also recognizes Art as one of their most valued and long serving volunteers. His cheerful good nature has made him an ideal public relations volunteer in the Commerce Ambassador Corp. This role of welcoming visiting groups, dignitaries and others come naturally to Art, and he is only too happy to welcome people to the Sault.

The Sault Ste Marie Museum is another community institution that has relied on Art’s tremendous dedication and commitment. He served on the Board of Directors for almost twenty years and has been active in all of the Museums’ special events and programs.

Art has also served with pride as a Chartered Member of the Algoma Branch of the Federal Superannuates National Association for over 20 years, holding the position of Treasurer since 1987. Art’s dedication to helping others is noted by many in his community as his willingness “to go the extra mile” for others.

Art is well known and well thought of in his community, he has shown leadership, compassion and commitment in all of the roles he has taken on and he has made Sault Ste Marie a richer place for his many, many years of devoted public service.

Donat A. Wissell

It is indicative of the nature of his contribution to his community that in supporting his nomination for this award, Community Living Glengarry Inc. said, “Mr. Donat A. Wissell is the most loyal supporter.” Not a most loyal supporter but the most loyal supporter.

Donat’s volunteer commitments began as soon as he settled in Alexandria, some thiry eight years ago. He immediately volunteered for the role of Boy Scout Leader and went on to serve in that capacity for fourteen years, providing leadership to countless young people.

For over thirty-three years, Donat has been a Director of Special Olympics of Glengarry and in this role he has brought individuals with intellectual disabilities to local, provincial and national competitions. He inspires through his determination, his unrelenting attention to detail and his drive to excel.

Donat, a skilled bowler, coached at the Youth Bowling Club at Alexandria Lanes and organized weekly tournaments that attracted broad community participation. It is his welcoming attitude that brings a sense of belonging and camaraderie to these events. He also organizes a highly successful annual tournament for Community Living.

He is also a talented and tenacious fundraiser. Donat canvassed the Glengarry area this year in support of Community Living’s accessible vehicle purchase and personally raised over $13,000! Recently he helped organize the 40th Anniversary celebrations for Community Living Glengarry.

In 2003, Donat was a founder of Alexandria Elite Group, a local organization initially dedicated to funding the expansion of Glengarry Memorial Hospital, but also making gifts to a number of local organizations. Each May 28th (his birthday), Donat organizes a flea market in the park in support of the charitable goals of the Elites.

An active member of the St. Vincent De Paul Society, Donat makes a generous gift of his time especially around Christmas, when he delivers over 100 hampers to the needy in his community and each Christmas Day when he serves Christmas dinner at his church.

Each month finds him making a journey from Alexandria to Winchester and then to Ottawa to pick up food for the local food bank. Each Friday, Donat sets up tables and serves lunch to the local Royal Canadian Legion’s Outreach Diner’s Club.

Alexandria and the Glengarry area is a better place for the contributions Donat Wissell has made, and his legacy can be found in many elements of the community. His kindness is well known and appreciated, as his neighbours say, “Great guy, always in a good mood, always ready to help out.” What a terrific reputation to have.