The Royal Columbia Hospital Auxiliary is looking for volunteers for its uptown thrift store and its lottery booth at the hospital.
The New to You Thrift Shop is located at 706 Sixth Ave. in uptown New West, and its new hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (formerly 4 p.m.) Tuesday to Saturday. Thrift shop volunteers must be 18 or older.
“We are also looking for volunteers for our lotto booth which is located in the lobby at RCH,” said auxiliary member Lindy Kirkwood. “Shifts are available on Monday morning and afternoon and Tuesday to Thursday afternoons. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.”
The Royal Columbian Hospital Auxiliary asks volunteers to commit to volunteering four hours a week for at least nine months (of course, some days off are permitted.)
Anyone who is interested must complete at online application, must supply two references, do a criminal record check and be vaccinated for COVID-19. For folks who want to volunteer at RCH, a flu shot is required.
City hall farewell
The City of New Westminster recently bid farewell to an employee who helped the city navigate its way through the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After years of employment with the city, Lorraine Lyle retired in February. Her final position was as the city’s senior manager of financial services,
At her final meeting with council, Mayor Patrick Johnstone acknowledged Lyle’s efforts on the city’s behalf.
“I'd be remiss without pointing out the amazing work you did in your career here, but most importantly, keeping us alive and solvent through probably the most difficult time in recent memory, in this city's history,” he said. “When we were transitioning between directors of finance, you stepped up to fill the role, and then the world changed through COVID.”
After Colleen Ponzini left her role as the city’s director of finance on March 13, 2020, Lyle served as acting director of finance until it was filled by current finance director Harji Varn.
“We have so much appreciated you stepping up at a really difficult time for something that I don't think you ever expected you were going to be asked to do,” Johnstone told Lyle at her final council meeting. “The city appreciates the work you did to keep us safe and not just safe and solvent through that time, but we prospered through that time through our finances. You actually really put us on a good path. Thank you for that.”
