Hart Highlands Ski Hill volunteers Gary and Heather Couch have been in Prince George since 1969.
Gary Couch was born in Edmonton in 1943 and at the age of seven his family moved to Vancouver. He joined the navy and served his country from 1963 to 1966.
In 1966 he answered an ad and was hired to work at FMC in Squamish.
In 1964 the FMC Corporation built a $10 million plant on the Squamish River estuary; a plant that covered 60 acres of land leased from BC Rail (BCR). The new plant would produce chlorine, caustic soda and hydrochloric acid; chemicals that resulted from the breakdown of sodium chloride by the mercury cell process.
The salt that was used in the plant was shipped on a barge to Squamish - 14,000 or more tonnes at a time - from the San Francisco Bay area. The finished product was then shipped as needed to be used in the B.C. pulp and paper industry.
Before the end of his first year on the job working on mercury cells and breathing in the fumes associated with his work, Gary ended up in the hospital for six weeks. After his medical leave he was not re-employed because the company was concerned with the fact that he may have mercury poisoning.
Gary left Squamish and went on to earn his steam ticket and found work at the Children's Hospital in Vancouver as a steam engineer.
During this time Gary met and married Heather Harvey.
Heather was born in Flin Flon, Man., in 1946; at the age of 13 her family moved to Cloverdale and later on to Vancouver. Heather graduated from Kitsilano and started working the next day.
She worked as a bookkeeper for Brooke Bond Ltd, a company that sold Red Rose and Blue Ribbon tea as well as coffee, spices and extracts.
Heather said, "Everything was going along nicely and in 1969 Gary wanted to apply for a job as a steam engineer for Northwood Pulp in Prince George. Of course I didn't want to move to Prince George but we did and we have been here ever since.
"To my surprise and Gary's relief I loved the place as soon as we drove into town. The people were friendly and helpful and I felt right at home. We both love the community and enjoy all four seasons, skiing, curling, camping, hunting, fishing, scuba diving, gardening and travelling in our motor home."
Over the years Heather worked for Willets, McMann & Thibodeau Chartered Accounts, the City of Prince George, Netherlands Overseas, Caledonia Floors and Acme Janitor Services in the bookkeeping department. When the children started to arrive she became a stay-at-home mom.
In 1990 she worked from home and retired in 2005 due to health issues.
Gary started his career with Northwood Pulp in 1969 and retired in 2004. One year later he started working for Mackenzie and Northwood Pulp as a contractor and retired again in 2013.
Heather recalled a project that they volunteered on with their church. She said, "Back in 1986 there was a church in McBride that was donated to the Grace Anglican Church in Prince George, all we had to do was move it.
"The 13 families that belonged to the church started by removing all the artifacts. A contractor was hired and he took the building apart one log at a time and then reassembled the church where it is still located today on Goheen Street. The fundraising committee sold each log to members of the church who in turn got their names and the names of their children put on a sponsorship plaque that is still on display at the church.
"The Bank of Nova Scotia was renovating their building and they kindly donated their flooring to the church."
In 1972 they started volunteering for the Hart Highlands Ski Hill which over the years included serving on their board with Gary as president and Heather as their treasurer. They joined other volunteers and worked towards the expansion of the ski hill, a new chalet and the installation of the new ski hill tow equipment.
Gary said, "The Hart Highlands Ski Hill is a great facility and a great place to take your family for fun, exercise and family time together. Over the years we watched the neighbourhood kids learn to ski on that hill and then go on to the bigger hills. The City bus drops off and picks up right there at the site and, thanks to all the volunteers who help out on a daily basis at the ski hill, the rates are affordable."
Gary is a weekly senior centre volunteer. It is his job to meet the delivery truck and as they unload the groceries he unpacks the boxes making sure the paper work balances and then puts it all away in the proper storage area. They both volunteer with the senior centre catering group when there is a special event.
Gary and Heather have two children Lisa-Ann (Owen) and Laura-Lee who in turn gave them three grandchildren.
Heather volunteers at the Kordyban Lodge on a weekly basis and they both volunteer for the Kidney Foundation and served as board members.
She said, "We were always involved with volunteer work concerning our girls and that included leadership roles in Brownies and at our church. We now live in a suite at the home of our daughter. We are free to travel and we love it. We go our own way and they go theirs.
"The best part of this arrangement was when the grandchildren were younger they would pack a suitcase and come downstairs to spend the weekend with us. They loved sleeping on the floor and spending time with us."
Heather concluded by saying, "I have a Prince George newspaper from 1913 that was sent to my grandparents who were living in England at the time. An advertisement was placed in the newspaper encouraging people to come to Canada and settle in the growing community of Prince George along with the promise of cheap land and jobs.
"In 1914 my grandmother arrived in Canada with six children and another one on the way. She settled in Qu'Appelle, Sask., and brought up her seven children on her own. She was a great inspiration to me. I often thought that if my grandmother could do what she did, then there should be nothing that I could not do.
"Well, here we are 100 years later living in Prince George and the city is still growing."
Spring has sprung and along with the garage sale maps the garage sale season is officially here.
There is a garage sale on Saturday, April 22nd at the Spruce Capital Senior Citizens Recreation Centre: 3701 Rainbow Dr. phone 250-563-6450 for all the details.
There is a garage sale, craft, book and a bake sale all rolled into one on Saturday, April 22nd at the Elder Citizen’s Recreation Centre: 1692 Tenth Avenue (between Vancouver and Winnipeg St.); contact Lisa at 250-561-9381 for all the details.
There is a garage sale Sunday, April 23rd at the Prince George and District Senior Citizens Activity Centre: 425 Brunswick St. contact Trianda at 250-564-3287 for all the details.
There is a junk in a trunk sale on Saturday, April 29th at the Hart Pioneer Centre: 6986 Hart Hwy. Phone 250-962-6712 for all the details.
Donations to these garage sales are always welcomed. Just phone the centre to confirm your donation.
