Here and Now column by Dan Hilborn
Published March 20, 2004
Saint Patrick's Day was celebrated in style at the Fireman's Social Club this week.
For the third year in a row, well-known club patron Ed McVicker dressed up as a leprechaun to raise a wee bit of money for the Firefighters Burn Fund and cheer up some of the people, both in the club and at the nearby Metrotown shopping malls.
"He's short, he's Irish and he's always up to shenanigans," said Barb Dennis, head waitress at the friendliest little pub in Burnaby. "He's so much fun, people want to throw money at him."
And the burn fund is not the only local charity to benefit from the Saint Paddy's Day goings-on at the club. Last weekend, the Violet Moore School of Irish dance held a fundraiser at the club to help send their top young dancers to the Canadian, North American and world championships.
Other local non-profits are always welcome to hold their fundraising events at the club. For more information, contact club manager Kelly Matiowski at 604-437-3447.
FLORENCE CELEBRATES
Kudos to longtime Burnaby resident Florence McWhinnie, who celebrated her 100th birthday last month at the Abbeyfield House in north Burnaby.
Born on a 160-acre farm in Maple Ridge, Florence was one of eight children, and remembers the days when washing was done by hand and the water had to be carried into the house before being heated on the stove.
Life was hard, she said, "But, living on a farm, at least we always had something to eat."
Florence moved to Alberta with her family when she was still young, and soon afterward her eldest brother signed up to fight in the First World War, where he was captured by the Germans. "After the war, he came home. He told us he was well treated by his captors," Florence recalled.
She worked 29 years at the hospital in Wetaskawin, Alta., under conditions that would appall many workers today, but she was also the first person from her family to own a car - a new Chevy that cost $700.
She remembers taking a voluntary 10 per cent pay cut, just so the entire nursing staff could keep their jobs, and how she rarely ever had time off for Christmas.
Florence continued driving until she was 92 years old, and remembers the day when she voluntarily surrendered her driver's license.
"The officer wanted to know why I was doing it. I told him, 'If I were involved in an accident, the other person would blame me because of my age, no matter who was driving.' The officer said, 'You're a wise woman!'"
Abbeyfield president Normann Song had nothing but the kind words for his friend and neighbour.
"Canada is fortunate to have people like McWhinnie. Out society has been enriched by her humble acts of kindness and service."
STILL PRACTICING
Milton Wylie vividly remembers the day when he first began practicing law in Burnaby more than 50 years ago.
Mostly he remembers it because he almost thought it was going to be his last day practicing law, too, Wylie told a crowd of well- wishers and friends during a luncheon to celebrate his landmark anniversary.
it was 1953 and Wylie had just landed an articling position with the local law firm of Hyde & Hean when principle partner Murray Hyde had the good sense to take his young charge to the New Westminster court house to meet the people with whom he'd soon be dealing.
On the way back to the Burnaby office, Hyde spotted an RCMP vehicle travelling ahead of them on Kingsway, and that's when things took a turn for the bizarre.
"As one who tried to be very respectful of police authority, I was very surprised when Murray said 'watch this,'" Wylie told the luncheon. "He then proceeded to speed up beside the police car and, with both vehicles racing down Kingsway, they pretended to be shooting at each other in true cops and robbers fashion!
"Such was my introduction to the practice of law in Burnaby."
It was obviously a more auspicious start than Wylie believed at the time. The next year, his name was on the front door of the law office, where it stayed until 2002 when he moved over to the firm of Hawthorne, Piggott, Emerson, Petronio & MacKinnon, where he still works with long-standing clients on property, estate planning and probate matters.
HIS FIRST ART SHOW
Kudos to longtime Burnaby resident Lloyd Cooper who recently had his first exhibition of artwork at his second home at the Brock Farnhi Pavilion in Vancouver.
Cooper, 78, is a longtime resident of Burnaby who has had both legs amputated as a result of complications from severe arthritis.
His amazing show, which featured almost 50 watercolour paintings in a variety of styles, was so successful that every single piece was sold, said his very proud sister Marjorie Kennon.
Cooper was born in New Westminster and after graduating from Trapp Tech, he joined the air force. After the war, when the arthritis set in, Cooper started work as a nightshift telephone operator at the Woodlands school, and was a familiar sight around his former home on 19th Avenue, where he was would often walk with two canes.
These days, Cooper gets around on a motorized scooter, and he has been known use his fancy wheels to drive between his Metrotown area apartment and his secondary residence at the Shaugnessy area hospital.
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