Celebrating her 100th birthday didn’t stop Barb Lavergne from taking up her usual post in the Campbell River Walmart jingling bells and receiving donations for the Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettles.
She does this every year sitting at the store entrance bundled up in her Santa hat, red gloves and warm jacket, a broad smile on her face. Only this year, she’s coming off her 100th birthday on Dec. 11.
She was born in Brockville, Ontario and lived in Ottawa where she lived after the Second World War. During the war Lavergne served as a Wren, or the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service, signing up in 1940. After the war she worked in a factory making telephones and switchboards.
Community service is important to Lavergne and that’s why she volunteers every year to work the Christmas Kettles, this year spending three days at the Kettle.
“It’s a privilege,” she says.
Lately, she’s been using a special strategy with Evergreen bing games, selecting soap bars as prizes whenever she wins. She then collects them and donates them to the local women’s shelter or the Salvation Army.
She has been a resident of Evergreen Seniors Home for 13 years, coming to Campbell River to join her sister at Evergreen.
Lavergne is an avid reader and has a lively sense of humour. She likes Campbell River, says it’s “a very friendly town.” And because she’s quick with the jokes, she adds with a twinkle in her eye, “I haven’t been in a fight since I got here.”
Meanwhile, Lavergne’s advice to everybody is, “You’ve got to learn to get along with people, no matter who you are.”