Dorothy (Carter) Alderson was born in Coronation, Alberta in 1923.
Dorothy arrived here in Prince George a mere six years ago and now calls Prince George her home and says it is a great place to live. She moved here because her daughter lives here.
Dorothy used to be a theatre owner-operator of both a drive in theatre and an indoor theatre; prior to that she was a long term care nurse.
Dorothy had four children: Archie Alderson - deceased; Ken Alderson - a retired RCMP officer living in the Yukon; Shirley Moore, who lives in Victoria and works for BC Ferries; and Loretta Jackson, who lives here in Prince George and is the manager of Gateway Lodge and the Jubilee Lodge for Northern Health. She is the proud grand mother of three lovely grandchildren.
Now at the age of 90 she volunteers full time at the front desk at the Gateway Lodge Complex Care unit on the corner of 20th Avenue and Victoria Street. Dorothy said: "I love to volunteer here. I am here from Monday to Friday eight hours each day. I greet the people and direct them; it is my goal to assist them in any way that I can. I started here two weeks before the place opened in September of 2009.
"I remember it well. There was nothing here - no furniture and nothing on the walls. The years have rushed by and in the meantime I have met a lot of wonderful people.
"I am treated very well and I want to thank everyone for always being so nice to me."
I quickly learned that Dorothy is called the "Puzzle Queen" because she always has a jigsaw puzzle on the go.
She explains it like this: "I needed something to make the residents and their families feel at home so I started building jigsaw puzzles.
"The puzzles are very calming for both the residents and their families. It is sort of an icebreaker; a relaxed way to meet people and get them to stop for a visit as we work together on the puzzle.
"The people here in Prince George are just great in every way.
The walls in the front desk area are adorned with some of the most beautiful puzzles you have ever seen.
Dorothy glues them all together with a special technique that she shared with me. She takes a product called Mod Podge and paints it all over the puzzle, which glues it all together and has a beautiful glossy look to it.
When it is dry she flips it over and completely paints the other side as well. After that she mounts them on the walls and they look fantastic. By all means stop in to see Dorothy and she will show you all of her masterpieces.
Dorothy is yet another amazing and motivated senior volunteering and giving back to her community.
In closing she said: "The Gateway Lodge is a great facility and I am a very privileged person to be able to volunteer here. I am happy to be of service to so many great people. The staff members are wonderful caring people.
"Some times we have very sad days but I am here for that as well. I always have time to talk to people and to let them know that I care. I feel useful and I feel needed.
"I am so very blessed and I want to say thank you to everyone for that."
December birthdays that I know about: Jo Selkirk, Marlene Wenschlag, Dirce Pandolfo, Bill Bosnich, Laurie Meier, Rino Fornari, Catherine Halladay, Linda Schwarz, Ivy Whitfield, Roy Whitfield, Phil Staniland, Donalda Carson, Marie Horbach, Carol Haugland, Lucy Buchanan, Paul Duperron, Marg McLachlan, Jean Durston, Carlos Green, Wilfred Vogt, Margaret Keibel, Harvey Clark, Gisela Maikapar, Mary McNeil, Deb Wood, Jim Doucette, Joyce Shaw and Louise Wiebe
Anniversaries: 42 years for Bruce and Rolanda McClure; 50 years for John and Elsie Siemens; 50 years for Don and Diane Girard; 51 years for Roy and Shirley Green; 52 years for Malcolm and Elaine Lamb; 53 years for Ted and Carol Haugland; 55 years for Aimee and Lena Dumoulin; and 60 years for John and Iva Lovett.
Send me your seniors' information at: [email protected].
