Happy Valentine's Day: The joy is in giving

Happy Valentine's Day dear readers.

This year I am going to pick a special Valentine.

Leona Mason lost her husband on February 27 last year and needed to be nearer her sister who lives in Witset.  

In May, she moved from Duncan, in the Cowichan Valley, to her new home at Pioneer Place in our beautiful Bulkley Valley.

Leona had a hard life from the beginning, but one that was made easier with the help of another. She was born ‘through birth’ with cerebral palsy. A secret person from the Shriners sponsored her for all her medical care and through four or five surgeries until she was sixteen.  

Having a handicap didn’t stop her, she had a goal and got her Bachelor of Arts in Métis studies. She is a certified genealogist in First Nation studies She became a specialist in Canadian and American records.

Leona retired in 2010 from her position as Regional Registry Clerk for the Métis Nation of B.C. and can still help through genealogy and DNA for a person to get their MNBC membership.

Until her eyesight got poor, Leona was doing Métis art on wood and also making moccasins with the Métis beaded-flower symbol.

With artistry in her soul she joined a workshop to make Valentine cards for residents in the Bulkley Lodge.

Judie Myers personifies a heart that is giving. She recruited her friend Kathy Ismond, and a few others for a social afternoon at her house to make Valentine cards for every single resident at Bulkley Lodge. 

And Kathy recruited me and Leona Mason to one more workshop but this time at Pioneer Place. A sweet afternoon for us to be cupids as we fussed over cards and encouraged each other.

Bringing Valentines to each other started for me in elementary school. We would get a pack of Valentines and hand them out to as many classmates as there were cards. There was always a little competition when we counted them up to see who got the most.

Schools now do it more inclusively, kids bring a Valentine for everyone but I’m pretty sure the prettiest and most delightful goes to the bestie in their lives. 

The joy is in giving.

The Week Ahead 

A friend follows the Calendar of Events in The Interior News and suggested it would be nice to know what is happening within the week.

Please let me know of a special event for the week following the newspaper coming out.

For tips please email sonja.lester.b.c@gmail.com or call 250-847-4414.