Marcel Pelletier

When Marcel Pelletier retired in 1987 from the Winnipeg School Division after 37 years as a teacher and senior administrator, a colleague said: "I have always recognized him as a man of energy and high creativity. He has the power to motivate people as well."

In addition to these qualities which he brought with him to Creative Retirement Manitoba, Marcel is well organized, well directed and has his priorities straight. He is also a "people person." On becoming a member of Creative Retirement he immediately started a French program which currently has 28 persons enrolled in it.

"Being a part of Creative retirement has been an outlet for my interest. For me it is a pleasurable experience to be involved with people and doing something I love to do. I had known about Creative Retirement when I was with the school division but it was not until I joined and discovered the tremendous opportunities it provides for seniors in several areas; that I realized what a great organization it is," Marcel said.

The French syllabus was created by Marcel, which he said he made up as he went along. It is based primarily on the experience he had teaching young people as well as adults.

Coming from a generation of teachers who early in their careers might only have had one book to teach a course, Marcel is well-equipped to prepare the kind of specific background material to make the course not only interesting, but to make it expand and be successful. His understanding of people and how they wish to acquire knowledge is intrinsic. He brings a wealth of understanding and experience to the classes.

It isn't just his aptitude, but it is his intuitive feeling and comprehensive approach to what is necessary for people to enjoy the environment of learning, no matter what age they may be, that makes him unique.

"We are a team of six and we meet in small groups to converse in the French language at the seniors' centre at 185 Smith Street on Thursday mornings. We try and keep track of what is going on. The more advanced people regularly go to Le Club Eclipse, which is a social club in St. Boniface, to interact with other retired Francophones. Our going there fits in well with the schedule of activity of the club and it works equally well for us," Marcel said.

Marcel and his wife Viola are avid bridge players, as well as ball room dancers.

"We live as active a life as possible," he said. "We are mall walkers almost daily during the winter. When the weather is warmer we walk five kilometres a day in the park. We are enjoying our lives and I have no intention of quitting what I am doing."

Marcel is currently taking a course in word processing which will enable him to adapt and modify his syllabus more easily to meet the requirements of the class.

This should present no problem for the man whose first teaching assignment was in 1951 at a rural school in Manitoba where he taught high school French, science and physical education. There was no electricity in the school. This meant that school hours were determined by the hours of natural daylight.

When he retired from the school division he said: "I learned a lot from the kids." This is characteristic of Marcel Pelletier who has a generosity about the potential and accomplishment of others. Creative Retirement is lucky to have him. He is a one-of-a-kind- volunteer. A man of energy and high creativity.

by Harold Marshall