Blog
Jan 20

Volunteer Spotlight – Bryan Stokes

Bryan Stokes

Bryan and his daughters enjoying the merry-go-round at Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC.

On June 3, 2009 Bryan Stokes began volunteering with us at our Museum building. You will find him in our gift shop on Tuesday afternoons, always with a book in hand, as he greets guests, answers questions and processes sales. Bryan and his late wife Kathleen have been of great assistance in our gift shop offering advice based on their many years in the retail business.

 
Bryan says his favourite memory of volunteering at the museum is talking to the children. He recalls the day that he sat with a group of 8 children and their Mom and told them the Museum ghost story and showed them the items in our Discovery Cupboard. He was amused to tell them things that their Mom didn’t know and enjoyed watching their faces light up with interest. When asked what motivates him to give his time to us he said it is working with the staff, and viewing and learning from the exhibits.

 
Bryan is a warm, kind man who loves to tell stories of his current travels with his (now adult) children. He has retired and will turn 75 this year but he keeps very busy with two volunteer jobs. He also volunteers at Chilliwack Crime Prevention Society as the Speed Watch Coordinator.

 
Thank you for the time you give us Bryan!

Alison Adamson

About The Author

I work in Administration and my duties are varied. I can be found doing anything from scheduling and taking care of our wonderful team of volunteers, to assisting with our vital grant applications. I have worked here since 2004 and it wasn’t long after that I discovered an interesting family connection to our town. I was browsing our Chilliwack Museum website and was surprised to find my Great Uncle Charles Edwards Clapp’s name located in the list of names on the War Memorial page. I was the first member of my family to reside in Chilliwack, having moved here in 1993, so it was confusing to see this. I called Paul Ferguson, a military historian and our Curator at the time, and asked if he had any further information. He informed me that although Charles lived in New Westminster he had enlisted in Chilliwack. I later learned that his brother Aubrey, my grandfather, had also enlisted here. Paul also told me that my Great Uncles’ name was embroidered on a memorial quilt that is in our collection. I had been living here for 12 years when I found this information and it gave me a feeling of really belonging to the community. I make sure to visit the memorial on Rememberance Day and place my poppy under Charles’ name. I’m pictured holding the Sept 13, 1917 edition of the Chilliwack Progress newspaper containing a reference to the passing of my Great Uncle Charles.