Lucille
Johnstone
With
a great empathy for the needs of others, a lifetime of involvement
with charitable organizations, and years of experience as an accountant,
Lucille Johnstone is ideally equipped to ensure good causes find a
way to get money in the door. It was through her longstanding friendship
with PLAN member Joan Lawrence and son Keith, that Lucille was asked
to assist with fundraising in PLAN's early days. "I went to find out
what PLAN was doing and why they were doing it and I liked what I
heard," Lucille explains. "You see a group that has faith that what
they are doing is important, not to themselves solely, but for the
community around them, and I respect that very much." Her financial
common sense applauded the fact that PLAN wanted to be self reliant.
"I was impressed that they want to be able to stand up and make things
happen," she says. "I realized that at that particular point in time
they needed some help and encouragement in the financial department.
They knew what they were doing and where they wanted to go but didn't
know how to find the money to do it. It was my pleasure to lend a
hand." Lucille pitched in with sound financial advice and organized
a direct infusion of funds through a gala fundraising dinner to celebrate
the fifth anniversary of Expo 86. In recent years the 77-year-old
grandmother has been busy serving the community as Executive Director
and CEO of the BC branch of St. Johns Ambulance. This full-time position
takes much of her attention but, she says, "I keep an eye on PLAN
because I'm still keenly interested as to how much they're getting
accomplished. I'm just delighted to see that it's expanding. I think
that the fact that it has been successful and people see that it is
a model that they can follow - I think that is terrific." Her extended
family includes several people with special needs and Lucille says
she is heartened to see that within our society there is a much greater
acceptance now and a realization that these people can live a more
active life than would have been considered possible years ago. Looking
to the future, she hopes families will find encouragement in the knowledge
that help is available from PLAN and through seeing what PLAN has
accomplished in working with other families. "I think the networks
are important, but I also think their advocacy is very important too,"
she says. Networks, advocacy, quality of life, and providing some
respite to the parents, Lucille says, are "a whole circle of elements
that I think are important." She has witnessed these elements in action
in the life of Keith Lawrence, who she has known since he was a boy.
Talking about PLAN's annual Celebration of Hearts, she says, "When
you see Keith get up and speak in front of 100 people, that in itself
is a miracle. It's pretty nice stuff."
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