On her 101st birthday, Aileen Hewett enjoyed visiting with one of her best friends. Molly, a six-and-a-half-year-old golden retriever, who is a St. John’s Ambulance certified therapy dog.
Her handler, Karen Wright, normally brings Molly to Deni House on Wednesday afternoons, but made a special trip on Monday, May 27, because she knows how much Hewett loves visiting with Molly.
As her canine friend sat on a chair beside her, Hewett stroked her neck.
When Hewett and asked Molly if she’d like some birhtday cake, Wright declined on her behalf saying chocolate wasn’t good for dogs and Molly had some carrots in the car.
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Hewett moved into Deni House full time in October 2018.
Prior to the move, she had been attending programs there three times a week.
When asked about the secret of her longevity, Hewett said “I stayed healthy by working I guess.”
It’s no secret how hard she worked.
Hewett is the founder of the Cariboo Chilcotin Child Development Centre, which she began in 1973 after trying to find help for her late son Rob, and several of his friends who had dyslexia.
In 1975, after collaborating with the local mental health association, and others, the society started operation in a room in the old skating rink, with three staff members serving six children.
Read more: Child Development Centre founder turns 100
Her son, Tom Hewett, said he was taking his mom to her restaurant of choice — Ken’s Restaurant — for a birthday dinner to visit owner George Cheung.
“Mom loves to go visit George,” he said.
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