Creative Retirement Manitoba's 2004

Two of eight outstanding Manitobans were honoured with Ageless Heroes Awards at Creative Retirement’s annual luncheon. The recipients this year were Lois Forsythe of Portage La Prairie, who was awarded the Love of Learning Award and Bill Lamb of Winnipeg, who received the Bridging the Generations Award.

The Ageless Heroes program is a joint venture of Manitoba Blue Cross and Creative Retirement, and is designed to recognize people who have made contributions to their community through their passion for learning and their ability to bridge generations.

Nominated by the Christian Education Committee of Trinity United Church, Lois Forsythe, winner of the Love of Learning Award, graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts degree after the age of 65! In the year 2000 she wrote a biographical story for the book Extraordinary Ordinary Women. In recent years Lois was the driving force behind a move to have the University of Winnipeg offer courses in Portage la Prairie for a Certificate in Theology program. In June 2004, at the age of 84, Lois herself graduated from that program.

In the words of her nominator, “Lois is a keen student of history, politics, community and sports. She is respected and consulted for her knowledge and wisdom about community and life. Her inquiring mind will always lead her to be a lifelong learner.”

Bill Lamb, winner of Bridging the Generations Award was nominated by Donald Teel, Vice-Principal of Ecole Lansdowne School. After retiring from the military, Bill began a career as a volunteer at Ecole Lansdowne School where he has assumed the position of a virtual staff member, going to the school on a daily basis. His quiet, positive, organized manner has a calming effect on the students assigned to work with him. He shows respect to the children and they, in turn, demonstrate exceptional affection and respect.

His nominator said, “Mr. Lamb stopped to speak to me about the joy he experienced when he noted that a grade two student finally was able to read a book that he had been practicing with the boy. Judging by the smile on Mr. Lamb’s face, I suspect the child wasn’t half as happy as his tutor. It is that sort of commitment that makes Mr. Lamb an exceptional volunteer and a inspiration to our staff.”

Chair of the Ageless Heroes Committee, Barb Sparling said, “The task before the jury was indeed daunting. Each nominee was clearly a ‘hero’ and each was indeed a model for creative and active aging.”

The other nominees in the Love of Learning category were Gerald Brown and Sophie Shinewald, both of Winnipeg.

Gerald Brown, nominated by Helen Norrie, retired from his position as Chief Librarian with Winnipeg School Division #1 in 1992, but has continued his commitment to school libraries by travelling around the world to advise governments. He was unable to attend the luncheon on November 4 because he was in Sri Lanka volunteering.

Sophie Shinewald, nominated by Marilyn Regiec of the Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre, is a former teacher. Now in her 90s, Sophie has never ended her education. She regularly takes courses in the University of Winnipeg Continuing Education program, and she is an avid computer user. She is also a volunteer at the Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre, and serves on its Board of Directors.

The other nominees in the Bridging the Generations category were Kate Berg, Arlene Butson, Lydia Sader, all of Winnipeg, and Valerie Wasny, of St. Andrews.

Katie Berg, nominated by Prince Edward Community School, volunteers at the school and reads with students individually, helping them grow in their skills. Her assistance and warmth have inspired a affection from her students, as well as the teachers at the school.
When she participated in a community walk, not just keeping up, but challenging the youngsters, one student was inspired to comment, “Seniors aren’t that old!” Katie has made a different to many ‘at risk’ students in the River East area.

Arlene Butson, nominated by Ann Pound-Holl, has a lifelong commitment to volunteering her time to help children and her community. She is a dedicated volunteer at Bonnycastle School where she works as a librarian and a teacher’s aide. Her special area of interest is the ‘Family Centre’ a program developed to help pre-school children with school-readiness skills, and their parents with parenting skills. Arlene is also active in her church and is a part of a large and close family reflecting her strong values of community and family.

Lydia Sader, nominated by Nancy Johnson of The White Cross Guild, grew up on a reserve in northwest Ontario and received her education at a residential school.

Lydia became a Licensed Practical Nurse and worked at Ninette Sanitarium and the Health Science Centre until retirement when volunteering became part of her life. Her many volunteer services have included working at an inner city day care centre, and for Habitat for Humanity, with seniors and street people, as well as serving on the Board and in the clothing depot of the White Cross Guild of the Health Sciences Centre. In the words of her nominator, “Lydia is an amazing role model. She has had many challenges in her life… her life experience has resulted in her being a profoundly compassionate person for all those whom she meets and all that she does.”

Valerie Wasny, nominated by Trish Glass of St. Andrews School, is a dedicated volunteer in the Target Reading Program at the school. With warmth, enthusiasm and commitment she has encouraged and enabled struggling student readers to shed their fear and to acquire reading skills by giving them a choice of the books they want to read.

In the process, students gain self-confidence and an awareness that Val truly cares that they succeed. Her nominator said, “Val is a remarkable volunteer who ably lives and practices the criteria for Bridging the Generations.

Ageless Heroes chairperson Barb Sparling expressed her gratitude to Manitoba Blue Cross for sponsoring this wonderful recognition of people who make a difference. She also extended the committee’s thanks to those people who nominated candidates. She asked them to note that it is possible to renominate in 2005 an individual who was not named an award recipient this year.