Kathleen and Gary Dionne, a husband and wife from Toronto, Ontario, have been Foresters members for 45 years and involved with their local Branch Council for more than 30. \u201cWe just like helping people,\u201d says Kathleen. \u201cWhen there’s a need, you give out, you give back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People often ask Gary what\u2019s in it for him. \u201cYou can be measured for doing nothing or you can be measured for doing something,\u201d he says. \u201cI’ve been thinking about my legacy since I was 18 years old.\u201d Sitting beside him on the Zoom chat, Kathleen jokes that he\u2019s now an old man. \u201cI was an old man at 18,\u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Support for kids and families<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kathleen and Gary have worked with their local Branch Council to organise countless community activities and create giving opportunities. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Fun Family activities gave local families a chance to visit the Toronto Zoo, spend a day at a local theme park and join other members at movie screenings. With Foresters financial support and members organising, member families who may not otherwise have these opportunities could join, have fun and meet new people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the years, Kathleen and Gary have developed a relationship with their local Ronald McDonald House, a charitable organisation that gives families a place to live while their sick children are treated at nearby hospitals. With Foresters Community Volunteer grants, they were able to provide bagged lunches for families spending the day at hospitals, and evening meals for when they return to the house for the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe were making roast beef dinners, shish kebabs, turkeys and hams for the 180 people or so that were at Ronald McDonald house,\u201d says Gary. The couple supports a team of local Foresters members, purchases the food, prepares the meal and stays to clean up afterward. They are long days, but Gary and Kathleen are emotional when they talk about the experience. The families they serve are living through the unthinkable, and a homecooked meal from caring people can make a difference in their day. \u201cA lot of us were asked to sit afterwards and have our meal with them, so we got to know some of the families and their situations,\u201d says Gary. \u201cIt was food for our souls, we felt good doing it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lasting family values<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere’s always a need, so once you participate you can’t stop,\u201d says Kathleen. \u201cThere’s always someone who needs a helping hand.\u201d The couple\u2019s commitment to giving back through Foresters extends to the next generation. \u201cWe also raised our four children as Foresters members,\u201d Kathleen says proudly. \u201cThey’ve attended all of the functions that we hosted, and they are now adults teaching their own children how to be Forester members and be involved in their communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI didn’t want to be the father who never went to the hockey game, the father who was so busy working that he didn’t know what his children are doing,\u201d says Gary. \u201cI wanted to be relevant in their lives and Foresters helps in terms of attaining some of those memories.\u201d Both Gary and Kathleen say that being a Foresters member leader helps them feel relevant in their communities, knowing they are doing something that will brighten someone\u2019s day and help build a better future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n