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The Obligatory Family Picture - Dec 2001
Disney Vacation 2000 - Photo Highlights
The Obligatory Kids Picture - Dec 2000
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Rachelle |
Jazz |
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| Rachelle's Newspaper Debut |
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Hugs and love are ample pay, says volunteer reader
By Jim Davies, Journal Staff Writer
THE EDMONTON JOURNAL - 1999/04/28 - Page B1
The lady known as Mrs. Beth isn't sure she should have been honoured Tuesday as Edmonton Public Schools' Volunteer of the Week.
After all, says 69-year-old Beth Boettcher, volunteers aren't paid for their work and "I'm very highly paid here at Rideau Park school.
"They pay me with love and they pay me with hugs. That's the greatest pay you can get."
Every Tuesday afternoon for the past six years, Mrs. Beth has walked from the Good Samaritan Care Centre near Southgate to the south-side elementary school, where she spends an hour with teacher Sharon Franklin's Grade 4 class.
The children take turns reading to her. And if they make a mistake, Mrs. Beth, who has a passion for books, corrects them with the tact and kindness of a loving grandmother.
For her work, she has been named as one of five winners of the Edmonton Public Schools' Volunteer of the Week Awards, presented to deserving recipients every April. Her award is also a celebration of the International Year of Older Persons.
"Mrs. Beth is a very important part of our classroom," says Franklin. "She's wonderful. She loves the children and the children love her."
Explaining how the school's favourite volunteer got her nickname, Franklin says that "six years ago, when she started volunteering, she told the children to just call her Beth. We had a little girl from Poland in the class who raised her hand and said, 'That wouldn't be polite. Can we call you Mrs. Beth?' Since then, she's been Mrs. Beth to everyone here."
When Mrs. Beth arrives each week, nine-year-old Rachelle Neame brings her a cup of coffee.
"She likes it with cream, but no sugar, because she's already sweet enough," smiles Rachelle. "It's fun to read to her because she's always happy. Mrs. Beth is really nice and she's so friendly."
"She's like a grandma to all of us,"
says 10-year-old Nolan Sawatzky.
Although the special lady is very much a part of the school, she was initially worried about taking on the task.
"She was fearful of getting involved in this at first," says Doug Reglin, a psychiatric nurse at Good Samaritan Care Centre. "She didn't want to fail. But as it turned out, she took to this like a duck takes to water.
"The kids love her. And she loves the kids. It's a match made in heaven."
No one ever hears any complaints from Mrs. Beth, a widow whose left hand was amputated years ago because of circulation problems.
"I'm impressed with being named volunteer of the week, but I don't need any congratulations. I love being here.
"Just look at these children," she says, gazing at the youngsters. "Wouldn't you love to spend time with them?"
Roger
