“There is not one person who is indispensable”. This came from a four score plus year old senior volunteer as she announced to us that this would be her final time helping at the kitchen. Age combined with health has finally brought her to this time, and even though we were expecting it some time soon, it still came as a surprise.
Hanny and I had a special bond in that we both were born in and emigrated from Holland, and every Monday morning when she came to help, we would greet each other in Dutch. That’s just about all that I remember of my native tongue, but we had fun with it.
This lady had a heart for the downtrodden like few others, and when she could no longer help them physically, she always stated, “but I can still pray for them”, which she did.
While I grew up mainly in Red Deer since 1956, Hanny married, raised a family and was a nurse in the NW Territories, moving to Red Deer, I believe, ten to fifteen years ago after her husband passed away.
At the kitchen she made many friends as she would prep the fruit and vegetables, and then slice, butter and cheese the buns to go along with the soup of the day. She loved a lively discussion and had many insights that we all valued. Weak excuses or unsubstantiated gossip, or complaining for the sake of complaining would always get her upset. Her speech as well as her faith were uncompromising and she was not afraid to express them; something that most respected.
Hip surgery that did not go well left her with great discomfort in her walking, eventually forcing her to use a walker. You could always tell that she hurt whenever she moved, but that did not prevent her from coming to the kitchen, as a matter of fact, in made her all the more determined to help.
Always interested in other people, she would welcome any new volunteer and be willing to show them what needed doing. Her interest in them would be filled with questions about them and their lives, and she listened attentively to every response. She always wanted to know about a person’s family, where they lived, what they did, etc. If there was no one to talk with, she worked quite cheerfully on her own; she just loved coming and interacting at the kitchen which she called her second home, and where she felt good just being there.
There is something very unique about volunteers that not everyone acknowledges, and that is the plain fact that our society would be much less functional if we did not have volunteers like Hanny, who give freely of their time and effort so that essential services can be provided. With our governments pulling further and further away from people care, other than throw a bit of money at it now and then, (election time), volunteerism has become a crucial contributor to our economic society.
So while it is sad to see an end to our weekly association with this wonderful volunteer, we’re thankful that we had as many years together as we did. From what I understand, Hanny is now helping other seniors at her facility to eat, dress and otherwise to just help them move around. Such is the woman we know as Hanny.
Thank you my friend, you are very special.