Edith Beaulieu: NFCS Volunteer Of The Year

Jeff Green | Apr 25, 2013

Sometimes you have to mix things up. So, this year the staff at Northern Frontenac Community Services decided to hold its annual Volunteer Appreciation Lunch in the evening. To do that they had to change it to a dinner, which wasn’t that hard to do.

One hundred and nine people seemed to like the idea. That’s how many were packed into the St. James Church Hall in Sharbot Lake to enjoy dinner and reflect over another year of volunteering for NFCS, which provides a basket of services for all ages, from young children at playgroups or licensed daycare, to youth who partake in Soccer or other programs, right through to seniors who get Meals on Wheels, use Lifeline or participate in the agency's Day Away or Friendly Visiting Programs.

NFCS has 126 ongoing volunteers in addition to those who help out on a casual basis.

This year the annual Northern Frontenac Community Services Volunteer of the Year award went to Edith Beaulieu, the pride of Snow Road.

Edith has been a NFCS volunteer for 16 years, ever since Margaret Millar brought her around to help out. She has been a Meals on Wheels driver and now drives for Frontenac Transportation Services, a joint program offered by Northern and Southern Frontenac Community Services.

As one of the key members of the Golden Friendship Club in North Frontenac, Edith has been a member of the Seniors Advisory Committee, which provides input to NFCS about local seniors' needs, and she also organises trips for seniors through NFCS.

In describing Edith Beaulieu, Catherine Tysick, the NFCS co-ordinator of the Community Support Services Program for Seniors made an acrostic of Edith’s first name: Eager; Devoted; Intelligent; Tenacious; Helpful.

Edith Beaulieu has also been recognised this year for her volunteer efforts in her local community. She is one of two North Frontenac Township nominees for Ontario Senior of the Year.