Salt Spring Island Archives
| Accession Number | |||
| Date | 2017 | ||
| Media | digital recording | Audio | mp3 √ |
| duration | 32 min. |
327_Duncan-Emily-Hepburn_Celebrated_2017.mp3
otter.ai
16.02.2024
no
Outline
Unknown Speaker 1:00
Great
Unknown Speaker 1:06
great Great
Unknown Speaker 2:06
thank you so
Unknown Speaker 2:25
much? Down
Unknown Speaker 5:00
It's an honor from the choir, we
Unknown Speaker 5:10
have a little gift for dancing.
Unknown Speaker 5:17
Thank you. Thanks, thanks
Speaker 1 5:37
very much. Your selection of songs are very appropriate for your neighborhood. As I mentioned earlier, we're involved in many community groups and Canada together today to put this particular program. But it's not exactly an exhaustive program because I bought many monitors that are not necessarily here. So we don't want you to think they belong. They belong to virtually every facet of our society, from giving Christmas trees to the Beaufort school the majority against resurrecting Orford days to feed the hungry, helping the poor, contributing committee organizations as best they could. But the groups today all of us say a few words about their contribution to their particular organizing organization. And I'll read the list of the people that are here today. official support programs, get into the library, celebrating validation, they increase Catholic heritage, Red Cross ratio, seniors, veterans, University Women, shared status, destroying society, and of course over committing. And so all those groups that come together and put the program on today, to which Emily ended up for their next adventure, so I would ask that our viewers be out of the library.
Unknown Speaker 7:24
Afternoon everyone, especially. Okay, what's better? What's to say about dumping in Salt Springs new library.
Speaker 2 7:36
Words can't quite cut it for me the library and Duncan Hepburn will always be synonymous in my mind. As with any major project, there are many people who worked to make it happen. But there are always a handful of people whose leadership and efforts are at the heart of any successful project. Duncan was at the front of the pack. First as a board member, and later as the building committee chair for dumping it was a 10 year commitment. no small thing. And once the library was built, he took on the job of building manager I dare say we were one of the two libraries to have a building manager with a master's degree in nuclear physics and a PhD in electrical engineering.
Unknown Speaker 8:28
One has only to walk
Speaker 2 8:29
into the library today to observe its extraordinary success as both a library and gathering place for the community. Most islanders will probably never know the pivotal role that you played Duncan in securing this beautiful facility for us but those of us here today no
Speaker 2 8:50
thank you and we wish you all the very fast
Speaker 1 9:07
was also the first revolved around with Duncan let me wander off accomplishments assault assault retaliation.
Unknown Speaker 9:37
Hi, everybody, I'm hot especially you two. This is an amazing event and we're all very emotional. So I'm so proud to speak on behalf of all of you here in the room that have been involved in the foundation. I have to say I remember 2006 My dad is Campbell says Okay, we have a new member of the grants committee. She recruited MLA in 2006. And in 2007, she became chair of grants Advisory Committee for the foundation. Many of you have worked with her ever since. She gave us seven years of commitment. Huge amount of time until she retired from 2013, or 14. Anyway, during that time, she chaired that committee, which we have to say, was a lively group. That's
Unknown Speaker 10:48
the power of describe it.
Unknown Speaker 10:50
But sometimes not an easy group to manage. But she chaired that committee with such grace, with tact with, she enjoyed it. She sat on the board for also for so many years of during the time that I was chair. She was an amazing support to me. In fact, this morning, I said to my husband, Bob, I said, Do you have any great memories of me working together with Emily? He said, Well, I only know that she was one of those people you always talk to when there was a problem. She was a wonderful mentor, and friend. I wish I'd got my glasses.
Unknown Speaker 11:51
Anyway, I just want you to know how much I loved working with you. You are just a wonderful colleague. You know, working as chair of the grants Advisory Committee, she was the one she was our chief, liaison contact person with all of you organizations out there. And as such, she was an incredible ambassador. She was kind, she was fair. She was she had a great sense of humor. But mostly she was fun. And I have to say she guided that grants advisory committee to give us the most amazing recommendations. And she also had this terrific idea that we should have around to see where we which organizations we have supported, see one in the foxhole by the door. And I know that she feels quite proud, as do we all have all the organizations that she has, she has recommended that the foundation support me, we're going to miss you. Duncan, we're going to miss you. And finally, I want to say we all really appreciated your generosity over the years and your hospitality also. We have so many events and meetings and wonderful times in your beautiful home. We know you're going to miss that home too. We want to wish you all the best on behalf of foundations. And thank you all for everything you've contributed to this community. Thank you both.
Speaker 1 14:05
The other area of interest for Emily was her involvement with her church. And today we have father before was going to say a few words on her church
Unknown Speaker 14:20
Well, hello. I'm a pastor, a pastor of Our Lady Grace parish. And just to kind of clarify that means two churches St. Paul's and Our Lady grace. So the two churches are one parish and just been here for about two years now. What I've seen Emily do just amazes me the how much she does the doing for the parish. And so we think she's got any time for anybody else. You know, it's like, I really have a hard time coming to terms with how she's been able to Make all the contributions that she has. Because she's certainly making a lot of contributions to our Lady Grace parish. Just yesterday, we had a Catholic woman's of the meeting. And Emily has been part of that. And a contributing part in a significant part. And so she was recognized, in fact, and we sent her farewell last time that she'd be at that Catholic woman's League meeting. And then a day or two before that, we had a parish council meeting and Emily's there, again, your presence is a contributing presence, and beyond the actual meetings. So we also acknowledge that maybe not too much, maybe we should acknowledge a lot more, but we said our farewell because that was the last meeting, she was going to be at parish council meeting. Two weeks ago, we're having our cemetery board meeting. Well, we are saying our farewell to the family there. The last one we're going to see. And again, not only a member there at the meeting, but also contributing in many ways related to that. And there's much more that she's done. Other than just those, those three committees that we have. St. Paul's Church has been one of her babies, you could say that when I arrived there heard from her a few times, or priests really like coming to church here, because all they
Unknown Speaker 16:38
have to do is show up.
Unknown Speaker 16:40
So we just got to show up on time for mass and just step in. And that was quite true. And this is where Duncan comes into the story as well.
Speaker 1 16:55
That old church, that beautiful church, it's old and it
Unknown Speaker 16:58
has lots of needs. And Emily, with Duncan behind the scenes, took care of it. And if there was something structural, that needed to be done well, dunk was probably the first one to hear about it. And he'd be troubleshooting IT and engineering and constructing and quite quietly, taking care of it in that way, helping decorate it the two combined have really made great contributions to our parish life and the parish isn't the same because of them and won't be the same without them. And I just want to thank them here to publicly thank them again. And also just to pass on our blessings that God bless you guys in your your new chapter of life. Thank you
Unknown Speaker 18:16
few words about restaurants Hi, I'm
Unknown Speaker 18:22
not going to talk a long time. That doesn't mean that Emily's contributions any less. Emily's been with the Canadian Red Cross medical equipment loan program. She's excellent with the paper the customers the work that we had to do. But she also did something that was so important she did the scheduling. Anybody who knows Saltspring islanders to go away in the winter and they take holidays and it was always a big puzzle to get the schedule together. And then it also took extra shifts to make sure the sleep was full. And thank you so much. And the Red Cross the Campbell River is hoping to hear from you.
Unknown Speaker 19:33
Good afternoon. Smooth, amazing to see so many of you here. But we know why. Emily in particular has been a very important part of the OTP. Team. She's been on the executive in many areas and has helped it be a very vibrant group. We are going to miss her terribly. You all know that we have that? Are two lovely rooms downstairs and we have yoga and all kinds of interesting things for seniors to do. Along the way to thank you, I hope you find where you're going.
Speaker 1 20:25
Federation of University Women and other organizations, I guess something probably could belong in this particular one. It probably was involved somewhere. I'm sorry. To make the presentation.
Unknown Speaker 20:43
Every organization gets to for the price of one. And we all know that. Emily, the organization, can even Federation University Women. Enjoy, enjoyed and appreciated your being a member of our group. And you've been involved on the executive. I know you're president. You've been involved in the interest groups. I know that's been in your home. But we've been exploring Poland, why, why not Duncan Cook, which is a good faith. Yes, you are. And you've been involved in the various fundraising activities of ours. Now, the university women have supported 130 students, girls in Commonwealth countries through the Commonwealth girls education fund. And that organization doesn't take any money for administration. So the money goes directly to the schools that the girls attend. This year, we are supporting 34. And Emily has certainly been a part of the fundraising portion, the Christmas trees, and they were the branches for swags been very much appreciated. Do we also support a scholarship at GRSs. And we've given 27 of those since 2001. And we support the second chance, bursary, which is for a woman who has been out of school for a number of years, who is perhaps the single parents and supporting supporting children. And we've, we've given 11 of those. And Emily has helped with the fundraising portions. And one of the ways we do that is we have bridge tournaments. And MLB is a great bridge player we've enjoyed to your property teams to be to sometimes as we work with a joy to your property. And we were hoping you'd have added the caveat, caveat to the new virus. Maybe those of us who enjoy that, enjoy your pool and the grass and the trees could still go. So thank you. Thank you very much. We wish you well. And we invite you back for July 21 When CFE W celebrates its 20th anniversary with a spring tea or summer tea as from Brussels, July 21.
Speaker 1 23:45
Organization has benefited from company's involvement, I imagined that we might have been involved too but this is involved with the CRD in terms of global contract. He's going to say few words about that.
Unknown Speaker 24:02
Thanks, Bob. I joined the shared space board and I think 2014 Shortly after Duncan had been recruited. And I have to say that working with Duncan and Emily has been a real highlight for my volunteer life on this island. shared space was originally set up to try and look at building a community hub that would house not for profits. And we went through many scenarios of iterations of what to do and through all of that Duncan was the stalwart one who was out looking at buildings and helping us figure out whether it was a good good thing to do or not talking with CRD talking with the foundation. And the credibility that Duncan gave our initiative was phenomenal. And it was because of him that we were able to get in here and look at trying to build something that we thought was going to be really important to the community. Duncan is one of those amazing board members who Under promises and over delivers. And one of the board members around our table one time said to me, he says, Well, he said, I don't know what to do, but I'll just follow it. Duncan says, Yes, he says, I'll go forward they've done consents. No, I'm not doing so. Anyway, it's been a real pleasure Duncan and I'm hoping that we'll be able to wrap everything up together and have the on board meeting via telephone. But and Emily, thank you for all that you've done to to support the organizations that we've worked with. So it's a real pleasure and good luck on your adventure and Campbell River is very fortunate to have the
Speaker 1 25:47
organization Historical Society archives, which was an active active member of that he's also a member of historical society, he had all the jobs he was the treasurer kept us financially viable. And we on the other hand, have jobs she was the collector from the country go survives 131 which she did for months and she also was one of our team ladies who brought me to where she organized a great march through this island on 2011. The March between the three churches well attended by over what 200 people and that was a great day. So Emily is involved in a lot of things that we may think we're losing but then we already have meetings scheduled with other people to look into historical facts and location of data here it was yesterday and they got an email from her saying I have a meeting with so and so. And we would like the Historical Society vehicle and we're not done yet. Here we are in Campbell River the heifers workout one of the most amazing things to me was they did all this in one power
Speaker 1 27:21
hour back and forth between here and again be an honorary member doesn't always have a thank you for your family history, occupation to our society and preservation of history. Thank you very much
Speaker 1 27:50
like to thank the committee for putting on the food setting up the hall getting them organized for us contribute a lot to us. People ask me as people always do what happened to me there's any money left over where does it go? Well, I think the committee has decided to go to a charity sometime in the effort today if there is any money left so they will have a donation made on their behalf to one of the charities on probably food bank but we'll see before we wrap up down to the memory of both asked if they could say a few words so they can come forward what are the time together and say what their wishes are and then complete the program. Go and look at the slideshow down there. Great overview of that effort. Doesn't take up here. Food down there. Coffee back there. Help yourselves we have enough here to be 400 people joining us. So there you go
Unknown Speaker 29:13
too late Hang on tight. Thank you all for coming. This is overwhelming. And I do have one regret though. I think you've set a precedent you're gonna have to keep following my recollection. This is the first goodbye party is that works. For me, volunteering is more about resort rewards you get from it than it is about satisfying any particular goal in my head. The rewards include having the satisfaction of working on jobs that need to be done, but more importantly to consume a large number of tablets that is interesting and interested. And that's been a tremendous boon to my time on site. Oh my second time. And I thank all my co workers for that. Credit was also goes through the previous volunteers who left their organizations prepared for the next step, which I was fortunate enough to take up on. And I hope but maybe not too many loose ends, but I do bet the people that are picking up afterwards. As for the hepper name on Saltspring, Alliance, Tennyson's more doctor comes to mind, the old order changes yielding place to new. And even is relative, because when I grew up here, we were considered newcomers having gone on to 12. Anyway, my childhood here and my first retirement have all been interesting and challenging and fulfilling. Thank you all for your cooperation and help the whole island physically and the people and everything as well. Thank you very much.
Unknown Speaker 31:15
I'd like to say that there was a lot of dust in my house when I was doing all this volunteering. But it's a lot more fun than volunteers and to stay home. I especially want to thank the organizations that gave me this opportunity to say thank you and farewell to so many people who have become our dear friends. When I think of all these busy people actually attended more meetings to plan to bake, make tea sandwiches and set up for today. It's just overwhelming, but it's truly appreciated, sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you who made today possible. We love working with each organization. You've enriched our lives and we just love you. We really
