If you need a secret kept in Bonnyville, than look no further than the volunteers at the Bonnyville Health Centre Auxiliary group.
The Bonnyville Auxiliary managed to organize and keep the celebration of five decades of volunteering a complete secret from the guest of honour, Olive Martin.
“I absolutely didn’t have a clue,” Martin said, after being surprised with a standing ovation at the presentation ceremony.
The event included the auxiliaries, her family, members from the hospital board, and the president of the Alberta Healthcare Auxiliaries Association, Yvette Pedersen.
“I’m shocked, and didn’t expect this,” Martin expressed.
Colleen Manary, the secretary of the Bonnyville Health Centre Auxiliary and one of the organizers of the event, said she doesn’t think Martin would have attended if she had known she was the one in the spotlight.
“She would be so worried, and she likes to be in the background.”
The Auxiliaries planned the surprise during their wrap up event at the hospital on June 12, and arranged to have a special presentation for Martin.
Currently, Martin is the chairperson of the hospital Gift Shop. When Duclos Hopsital and St. Louis Hospital combined in 1985, Martin became the first president of the Bonnyville Health Centre Auxiliary. She is in charge of training new members in the Gift Shop, along with other duties.
“Olive is our historian,” said current president, Yvonne Primeau. “She keeps up with our photo albums and sends our files to the provincial archives.”
Martin received a certificate of appreciation from the Town of Bonnyville, a certificate of merit from the Alberta Healthcare Auxiliaries Association, a gift and certificate of appreciation from the hospital board representatives, and a recognition trophy the Bonnyville Health Centre Auxiliary.
“She’s always volunteered,” explained Thelma Demeria, Martin’s daughter. “She volunteers at the Legion and the United Church. She used to do Red Hats, Brownies, Guides, skating, anything and everything.”
Martin’s volunteering began in 1968, and with five decades behind her, she has no plans of slowing down.
“My mother was a volunteer,” Martin said. “She convinced me that I should come, because they needed some younger people. That’s what really started it.”
Martin saw volunteering for the hospital as a worthwhile cause. Over the years, she enjoyed seeing the improvements made to the facility.
While 50 years doing anything is quite a long time, it was stressed by auxiliary members and Martin that this was not a retirement celebration.
“I have no intentions of slowing down,” Martin laughed. “Not right away.”
