Caregiving rewarded

When her family obligations ended, Doreen Kelley transferred her caregiving energy to the Golden Seniors Centre

1 of 2Doreen Kelley (left) received the Community Recognition Award from the Town of Golden, B.C., represented here by Golden's mayor, Christina Benty. — Photo courtesy Christina Benty

2 of 2The Tom Kelley Memorial Park is located on Oberg Johnson Road near Golden, B.C., on land donated by Doreen Kelley. — Photo courtesy Doreen Kelley

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The story of Doreen Kelley receiving the Community Recognition Award from the Town of Golden, B.C., almost ended with a fizzle.

Kelley is known in the community for her leadership role with the volunteers at the Golden & Region Seniors Society; for her donation to the town of three-quarters of an acre of land, where the Tom Kelley Memorial Park was built in memory of her husband; and for her beautiful cross-stitch and crochet work. In addition to her volunteer work and maintaining her own yard and vegetable garden, Kelley owns and manages a local mobile home park.

A lifetime of caregiving

As with many wives and mothers, Kelley’s main role through adulthood was that of caregiver. Two of her three children had chronic medical issues, and Tom struggled with ill health for 33 of the couple’s 48 years of marriage. During that time, Kelley became a caregiver for her mother, as well. In the winter of 2009-2010, within six weeks of each other, Kelley’s mother and Tom both passed away.

“Suddenly, I was alone and I had lots of time on my hands,” Kelley said, “so I devoted my time to the seniors centre. They used to have four groups of volunteers, but the numbers have diminished down to one group, and I’m the lead caterer for the Golden seniors centre now. I enjoy that, and that’s primarily what I received the award for.”

In the balance

The Community Recognition Award was sponsored by the Town of Golden council in honour of outstanding volunteerism and citizenship in the community. Somehow, notice of her nomination and an invitation to the awards presentation never got to Kelley, so she did not attend the gala event. When a couple of friends offered their congratulations the next day, she didn’t know what they were talking about. A couple of days later, Mayor Christina Benty called Kelley to apologize.

“Well, as it happens, I had just had the grand opening for my park and had neglected to invite the mayor, so we figured we were even,” Kelley said, chuckling. “Anyway, I took her on a tour of the park, and she arranged to have the award presented to me at our fall tea at the seniors' centre, with the town council and the press attending, so it turned out just fine. It was a huge honour to be nominated for this award and a huge honour to win it.”

Kelley said she would like to inspire and encourage the spirit of volunteerism in younger people.

“We need them,” she said. “Younger people are not aware of what we do in so many areas, and they don’t realize how much community support will be lost if there are no volunteers to do the work. They also don’t realize that there are lots of personal rewards from volunteering.”