Dedication
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
NORMA STENHOUSE N ORMA STENHOUSE was the longest serving volunteer in Humber River Hospital’s history – 51 years. Norma’s passion to help others was evident from the day she walked into Humber River – then Humber Memorial Hospital – in 1961. With a long
NORMA STENHOUSE WITH HER SONS AND GRANDAUGHTER
family history of volunteering at the Hospital, Norma was determined to take on many projects and achieve ‘great things’ for her community hospital. Her first job was in the gift shop where she was in charge of the magazines. She also restocked the cherry wagon and the gift shop with confectionery. Over the years, she became famous for making one-of-a-kind candy baskets, baby baskets and silk flower arrangements. In over five decades of volunteer service, she undertook many roles at the Hospital and in the Humber River Foundation, including Clerk, Convener, President and Chairman.
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In her inaugural position on the Volunteer Association Board, as Public Relations Convener, Norma produced the Association’s first newsletter; she also created signs and took charge of newspaper publicity. Norma progressed through the ranks quickly, becoming a Vice-President and serving as President of the Association Board from the early to mid-1980s. In 1998, she was the first President of the Volunteer Association of the new Humber River Regional Hospital. There was no question that Norma took her volunteer role seriously.
Those qualities led Norma to become an original Governor of the former Humber Memorial Hospital Foundation, a role she remained in after the merger. Up until her passing, Norma served as Chairman of the Humber River Foundation’s Donor Recognition and Stewardship Committees. Norma took her last breath at Humber River in August 2012; but she will always remain the first Life Governor of the Foundation and a heroine at the Hospital she held so close to her heart.
“I can remember, every Christmas morning when we were kids, after we had opened our gifts, my mom would prepare the turkey, put it in the oven and then she would go to the hospital to open the gift shop,” recounts Jay Stenhouse, the youngest of Norma’s two sons. “She always told us that not everyone could be home for Christmas and that if she could make somebody’s Christmas more special by opening the gift shop then she would be happy,” he adds. “Mom always put family first, but Humber River was part of that family.”
People Care - At Humber River