It was suggested to me to write a short story for Program Read’s booklet of short Stories called Our Turn for the 2007-2008 school year.

What would I write about; At my age,67, I had many stories I could relate from these years both personal and general.

Then I thought about life long learning and how I came to be at Program Read.

I started way back in September of 1948 in Grade One at age 7 years. My birthday is in January and kindergarten classes were unavailable then so I missed the cut off date Of Dec 31 1947 to start at age 6 years and had to wait a whole year to begin.

St. Stanislaus was a four room Parochial school in the Bayview area of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Grades 1 and 2 were together, 3 and 4, etc. up to grade 7 and 8. You stayed in the classroom all day and did not move from class to class like it is done today. There was one teacher for each class room and the Principle. A music teacher traveled from school to school teaching music. The washrooms were outside at that time, the Boys on one side and the Girls on the other side of a long wooden shed type building. It sure was cold in the winter months. Any physical activities were played outside. Of course over time the school was enlarged and the washroom facilities were moved inside. A gym was added as well as individual class rooms. I was saddened to see the school had been demolished when I returned to Sault Ste. Marie in 2006, it held many warm memories for me.

I then graduated to High School and enrolled in the Sault Technical School on Tancred at Wellington. Again, there were only 2 High Schools in the city at that time, the Tech was the commercial/trades high school and the Collegiate was the academic school for those who were going on to University. In grade 9 I went to school from 8A.M. to 1 P.M. because the Sir James Dunn High School was just being built and those students came to the Tech. for classes from 1P.M. until 6P.M. this enabled me to get a part time job in the afternoon. I worked in a small pizza restaurant for .75 cents an hour plus a meal.

I left high school at grade 10 and got a job you could do that in the mid 1950’s and get a decent position. I worked for a car dealership doing warranties and the payroll. The mid 1950’s were a wonderful time to be a young adult in.

Life went on and I got married in 1963 and was a stay at home mom to my 3 children for about ten years. Because I wanted to go back to work in the mid 1970’s I found myself back in school. Qualifications were higher by then and I needed to upgrade to grade 12. I did this at the Queen St campus of Sault College. It took me about a year to complete the two grades. I then took a ten month Accounting course in the same system but on Albert St. and graduated only to find that technology had surpassed me and the manual form of accounting was rapidly becoming obsolete and moving to computers. This made it very difficult for me because I had already spent two years in school and at age 36 I wanted to get into the work force.

Well to fast forward I was offered a part time job by a friend in 1978 and ended up retiring from it 26 years later in 2004. I developed many skills and abilities in this position and time frame, computers was on of them. The computer skills I learned at the time were work specific and though I learned three different programs over the years I never learned email or looking up things on the World Wide Web. This is where Program Read came in.

My husband noticed an ad in the Sault Star for Program Read here in Sault Ste. Marie in September of 2007. We had reading and written skills but we needed to learn the computer skills that are now everyday practices to all even Kindergarten kids. Because we are retired now we had the time and decided to get into the 21ST Century and enrolled in the program. My spouse went on to other things (he got a part time job at age 71) but I continued and I can now serf the Web, email my grandchildren and friends , copy cut and paste stories and letters etc. The computer is a wonderful information gathering and communication tool and I am happy I started the Program. The staff and volunteers of Program Read are all very helpful and the atmosphere is very relaxed and friendly. Each person has a special skill and ability that they bring to the program for the students. So you see learning never ends. It is up to us to challenge ourselves and move forward. I am glad my husband saw the ad and planted the seed to further learning.

My first volunteer experience was at the Soup Kitchen Community Centre. I was involved in the children’s program. I asked the children if they needed any crayons and paints. We had snack periods and watched films. They were bright and energetic kids. They were my teachers; therefore, taught me well.

After that I decided to be an Ontario March of Dimes volunteer. There I met a new amigo who is in a wheel chair. We have a great chemistry. My amigo’s name is Derrick. I have been with him to the A&P and helped get groceries for my amigo. We have been at the Easter Seals Telethon and to Tim Horton’s. He is involved in Program Read both as a student and a board member.

Also, I am a Red Cross volunteer and I wear a big red life jacket as their mascot. My mascot name is “Buckles Bond”. We have been to Red Cross fundraising and to elementary schools. I’m not supposed to speak when I’m the mascot – I guess because life jackets don’t talk – but I broke the rule and spoke to the children. I am a life jacket that sinks in the water (ha ha).

Besides all of the above, I also canvas for the Alzheimer’s Society, the Kidney Foundation, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society. Also, every year I am a gofer for the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life.

Finally, I am a St. Vincent de Paul food bank volunteer. I put food cans and coffee packages in a big plastic bag. Also, I walk in another room and speak to people.

Recently, I have been attending Program Read and am improving my computer and reading and writing skills.

It has been many years that I have been involved in volunteering. I am addicted to it because I benefit by being grateful and spiritual. I exercise my mind, body and spirit. I have a social conscience and understand people’s personal problems. I strongly believe that I should practice love and not preach. An old Beatles song called “The End” says in the lyrics: “And in the end, the love you give is equal to the love you take.” This means give more love and you will get back more love.

My cat’s name was Sammy. He was a kitten. At my home, there was a mother cat named Chico. Chico had a litter of five kittens. Sammy and Chico were kept at my home on Pim Street.

Sammy was a pretty grey colour. He liked to play by rubbing his head against the wall. I patted him and then he would purr happily. Our dog, Muffin, was friendly with Sammy and they played well together. Sammy was grown up by then and would jump on Muffin playfully.

Usually, Sammy stayed in the house. But, one day he was outside playing. A young boy nearby was using a BB gun and he accidentally shot Sammy in the head. Sammy somehow got back in the house and climbed into a chair to sleep.

Sammy got over weight when he was older but still remained playful. One day he went outside and we found him resting by the hedge. He had died.

I still miss Sammy, but I have happy memories of our time together.