A Golden Volunteer

Barbe Dodson, at left, and Marylynn Bellisle, were an integral part of the Penetanguishene Sports Hall of Fame family. Barbe would be a fundraising force in the town for many organizations for almost thirty years.

The recent passing of Barbe Dodson, has left me sad but also thankful and in awe and wonder, because I had a front row seat to witness what she gave to the town of Penetanguishene as one of its premiere volunteers. I confess, I was a bit an innocent instigator for much of it.

I never thought that as I sat beside Barbe Dodson in the basement of St. Anne’s Jesuit Memorial Church for a town Canada Day meeting in January of 1990, that she would have such a profound effect on me and the town of Penetanguishene.

I was chairman of the town’s Centennial Museum Board at the time, which had just been condemned and closed. Barbe had just lost her husband with whom she had moved to the area, and was looking for something to do. It wasn’t long into our first chat and I told her about the museum closing and our need to save it, that I had just enlisted a dandy of a volunteer who would be the catalyst of doing just that.

Barbe was soon securing a retailer, ordering items and manning a museum table at the local farmer’s market, selling “Save The Museum” T-shirts and other wares. But most of all, her Saturday morning enthusiasm soon enlisted others to join our cause: the Burton’s, the Patterson’s, the Quesnelle’s, the MacDonald’s, Rita Longlade and so many others. Thus, “The Friends of the Penetanguishene Centennial Museum” was born, with Barbe leading the way as Chairperson and the driving force of fundraising.

Over the course of the next 36 months, with Barbe leading the way, the museum board and “Friends” put on over twenty-four fundraising events, both one-time and ongoing, as she and we raised funds and secured grants to save and open the museum on time for The Georgian Bay Marine Heritage Festival in 1994. Then we raised more funds to expand the museum, build the bandshell and other outbuildings and replica firehall.

Her museum work done, Barbe helped form the Friends of the Penetanguishene Youth and spent several years raising funds for the waterfront skateboard park, children’s play area and other amenities.

Her work at the waterfront finished, I saw opportunity knocking as chairman of the Penetanguishene Sports Hall of Fame and I was able to enlist Barbe again, to set up, and start our new Hall of Fame gift shop. She and Marylynn Bellisle were soon also helping with every PSHOF dinner set ups and raising more funds for us for several years. She also joined the PSHOF board for a few years and also became an integral member of the town’s Senior’s Council. Barbe would be honoured by the town with a Senior of the Year award and made an “Honorary Friend” of the Penetanguishene Sports Hall of Fame.

I often told her that she should slow down, quit and enjoy her retirement with her kids and grandchildren but she would rebuff me. “No. Volunteering for good causes and the town has saved me. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t stop. I need to keep busy!” she would always say.

Barbe would be the first to share her accomplishments with the many dozens of volunteers who worked with her over the thirty years of volunteering, but needless to say, she was a true leader and catalyst of so much that was accomplished in the town. We owe her so much.

Most of all, Barbe was a true personal friend of mine and an invaluable friend of the town. WE are all the richer because of her.

Rest well Barbe and thanks. You have earned it.