True to form, when Edna Husby got the word last Friday morning that she is this year's Golden Girl, the friendly Gibsons woman was in the kitchen baking for others.
She jokes as she serves her guest a piece of the tea bread she was making, "It doesn't have any salt because after [the caller] told me, my wits went out the window."
The bread is delicious anyway.
Husby devotes a good deal of her time to making life pleasant for other folks. And while many of us see life as a drag, Husby sees it as one big adventure.
An intrepid traveller, she loves to explore different parts of the world with her many women friends. But it's in her own hometown where she gets the most satisfaction in her life.
A longtime volunteer, one of Husby's prize possessions is a 40-year pin presented to her from the St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary. And while many people would think that would be long enough to help others, not Husby. She's proud of the auxiliary and the role it plays in the local hospital. The admiration is mutual - the organization honoured her with a lifetime membership a few years ago.
Another group of people who benefit from Husby's kind heart are the folks at Kiwanis Care Home. She's been bringing her positive attitude to the home for more than 25 years. Recently she helped fundraise for a new TV and DVD player for the home. Over the years fundraising has brought comfortable lounge chairs to the facility and paid for landscaping. In her eighties, Husby is still active in her church, St. Bartholomew's, and the OEP, the Gibsons organization for seniors. Husby has lived in Gibsons for most of her life. Before she retired in 1988, she was a supervisor at the medical clinic in Gibsons. Two of her three children live on the Coast.
"I finished Grade 12 here, went away and worked at Shaughnessy Hospital as a dietitian. Then I married the love of my life, Ed, and came back here," Husby shared.
"I'm an old-timer not a pioneer," she laughs.
And she's enthusiastic about the future of her beloved town. "I love the new care home that's being built and the new recreation centre. I voted for that; the young people need it," Husby said.
Blessed with good health, Husby considers herself lucky to have good friends, a loving family and a strong faith. And the woman who does so much for her community is still amazed to have been chosen this year's Golden Girl.
"It's such an honour. So many people do so much more than I do," the modest senior said - a statement not many people who know Husby would agree with.
