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Volunteer Tina Derksen enjoys sharing her energy

Tina Derksen always has the warmest smile on her face
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Monica Lamb-Yorski photo Tina Derksen, vice-president of the Old Age Pensioners Organization, was busy during the OAPO garage and yard sale last Friday.

The enthusiasm exhibited by the vice-president of the Old Age Pensioners Organization in Williams Lake is enough to inspire others to join.

While she was helping with the OAPO garage and yard sale recently, Tina Derksen had the warmest smile on her face.

“I work with an amazing group of volunteers for the main eight events the OAPO puts on throughout the year such as the Christmas dinner, Valentine’s Day Tea, spring and fall bazaars,” she said.

“We had 18 people in helping set up our garage and yard sale.”

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Derksen’s been involved with the organization the last four years and “loves” it.”

“The women are so inspirational,” she said. “We have women here who are in their 80s and they just never stop. They are like energizer bunnies and they don’t complain about their aches and pains. They just say, ‘oh I had that and I’m just fine,’ and they are just so positive and wanting to serve their community.”

The OAPO is always looking for new members and is open to anyone 50 and over, she added, noting they are always needing help with events and in the kitchen which is open serving lunch from Monday through Friday.

They could really use some younger members to help with the heavy lifting that’s required sometimes.

“Our membership is only $20 a year and with that you can buy an affordable lunch,” she said.

Derksen and her husband John have called the Williams Lake area home since 1974 when the wanted to “get out of the city” to raise their children.

“We bought a general store out at Anahim Lake and were there for 10 years and then came into Williams Lake in 1983.”

John was a school bus dispatcher for many years, she added.

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The Derksens have four children — Dan lives in Australia, Debbie in Kelowna and Tony and Rob live in Williams Lake.

“Tony is a carpenter and Rob is volunteer firefighter.”

Glenda Winger, manager of the Seniors Activity Centre, described Derksen as a “ball of fire.”

“She’s a wonderful volunteer for the Seniors Activity Centre and the OAPO,” Winger said.



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Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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