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Winning an award for his volunteer work was never a goal of Garth Harvey's. Harvey is a rare jewel, one who realized a long time ago that helping others is life's greatest award. |
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Winning an award for his volunteer work was never a goal of Garth Harvey's. Harvey is a rare jewel, one who realized a long time ago that helping others is life's greatest award. |
No one was more surprised than Harvey when his name was announced as Volunteer Cowichan's 2001 Volunteer Spirit Award winner at a ceremony at the Duncan Mall Wednesday.
"I was taken completely by surprise, I had no idea," Harvey said. "I certainly appreciate the recognition from my peers."
Harvey arrived in the Cowichan Valley from Ottawa with his wife Gladys in 1976. He jumped into community work with both feet. He and Gladys started the Shawnigan Lake community newspaper "The Community Crier" which operated until 1998 and he chaired the Shawnigan Lake Recreation Association. He was instrumental in the development of community parks and beaches, and was the driving force behind the construction of the the Shawnigan Lake Community Centre.
He stepped away from much of his community work after his wife developed Alzheimer's. He took care of her until her death seven years ago.
"People didn't come around anymore," he said. "At the funeral I asked two of her care workers to come sit with me as family and one of them said 'why is it that the chapel is full but no one came to visit her'?" His wife's illness and his role as her primary caregiver was the impetus behind Harvey establishing the Cowichan Family Caregivers Support Society. "There was nothing much in the form of care for people who look after people," he said. "Isolation is a big problem. Nobody is there to validate what you are doing. You are living in a vacuum. Just someone dropping by to say hello or something as simple as a hug can be a valuable lift."
Eighty per cent of senior care is done in the home and the home caregivers are often spouses, seniors who may be in fragile health themselves, Harvey said.
"We've seen caregivers who end up in the hospital, get discharged and sent right back into the same situation at home with no assistance and end up in ICU again in two weeks," he said. "We are not professional help and I would like that emphasized. If professional help is needed we can assist in finding that help. We don't take the place of doctors or nurses."
Harvey is the first major contributor to the Caregiver Support Circle Pilot Project.
"There is one gentleman I spend time with. Every Friday I take him out and I really enjoy his company and his sense of humour," said Harvey. "That time I spend with him allows his caregiver to have time to herself. That day is her day in which she can do anything she wants."
Harvey was honoured along with two teenaged Frances Kelsey students Wednesday.
Ashley Cockley and Heather Turnquist received Volunteer Cowichan's Youth Spirit Award for developing a program called SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere). They have developed a lesson plan for elementary class rooms and have recruited five other Kelsey students to help deliver the program. Working closely with RCMP liaison Kathleen Mann, the two launched their pilot program at Mill Bay Elementary and Discovery Elementary and have received wonderful feedback.
Volunteer Cowichan chair Audrey Gill was also rewarded for her tireless efforts in the field volunteering. Gill received the Duncan Mall's Volunteer Community Award.