Friendship is a highlight of Garth Homer Society programs, according to Laurie Fairweather.
With more than 35 years’ experience at GHS, Laurie is an expert.
“It’s good having a mix of different people together, because we learn from each other and bring out the best in each other,” she says.
Some of Laurie’s friendships are decades long. Laurie and Gerry met when Laurie was brand new in the kitchen program. A memorable mix-up in Gerry’s coffee order turned into an unforgettable friendship.
Reminiscing about their good times also simply being quiet together are among the things they share. “We’re sort of a yin and yang,” she says. “Gerry balances me out when I get too ‘out there’—she brings me back. She’s a really nice person to be around.”
Laurie’s a member of the Pathways program where aging and retirement are not only about comfort and care but also joy and exploration. It’s also where she enjoys spending time with her keyworker, Emily Zhu.
“Laurie and I are pretty close in age, and we have some of the same life experiences. We also encourage each other to try new things! It’s been a happy time together,” Emily says.
Laurie appreciates learning about Emily’s culture, she says “She’s really cool. She understands when I am anxious about something and she gets me out of my shell.”
Worlds of experience
Laurie’s many work and volunteer roles give her a depth of knowledge and range of experience in different settings and with all kinds of people. She has operated an industrial iron at Goodwill, worked as a chamber maid at bed and breakfast, in the kitchen at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital, as a janitor at Boston Pizza, and taught sign language at a daycare, among other jobs. She says she has done everything “from soup to nuts”.
A standout experience for Laurie was her work in the Garth Homer Society Christmas cracker operation. “We had a really great reputation for our Christmas crackers,” she says.
While a participant in the Community Access Team, a program offering work and volunteer activities, Laurie volunteered at WildArc animal rescue and also as a companion for someone with Multiple Sclerosis.
“She had been a nurse prior to being diagnosed with MS,” Laurie wrote in life reflection piece. “It gave me empathy to understand someone who was perceived as ‘normal’ prior—to now understand what it must feel like to be treated differently because of something that happened.”
Lighting a path to friendship
Laurie recalls how it felt to be a new person at Garth Homer. “I was very nervous,” she says. “I had just graduated from another college for people with disabilities. I was constantly getting lost.”
For new people who are just starting out, Laurie offers good advice: “Always ask questions. Don’t be shy about it. Just say, ‘hey, I need help’ or ask, ‘what’s the best program here?’ And if you do get lost, don’t worry. You’ll find your way back.”
Pathways Program Coordinator Roslyn Wagstaff says Laurie is a great support to her friends and teammates.
“She cares deeply about everybody. If she notices someone needs help, she will gently encourage them in the right direction. If they’re not understanding something, she’s able to reword it in a way that they can understand,” Roslyn says. “Laurie has a huge heart, and she’s a very good friend. We’re so happy that she’s on the team.”
Music was one of the programs that helped Laurie find ease in new experiences, she says.
“Music brought me out of a closed-in shell. It gave me way to focus and build friendships with people who were into the same thing. If you’re in a program and you’re all into the same things, you open up, and you’re more receptive to making friends.”
In addition to the love of her family, the connections and friendships she’s nurtured in her time at GHS are hugely supportive and valuable, she says.
“Garth Homer gives people a sense of belonging, a community. And community is crucial,” she says. “I feel safe, loved, and supported here.”
