Born in 1925 in Mission, Joy Crowley lives up to her name.
She truly is a joy to anyone lucky enough to get to know her, said Patrick Matiowski, Langley Care Foundation’s fundraising director.
As an avid gardener, Crowley has several different potted plants thriving on her windowsill in Langley Lodge, attesting to her prowess in the garden.
Besides having a green thumb, Crowley is an artist.
Paintings of natural landscapes and animals are her specialty, and many of her works are on display in her room.
The oldest of five children, Crowley affectionately refers to her younger brothers as “brats,” but then admitted she occasionally was one, too.
She fit in well with her brothers, and in fact, one of her favourite toys growing up was her hammer.
Throughout her life, Crowley has been an advocate for hard work, her first job as a youngster delivering newspapers on her bike. Later on, her dad, with whom she had a close relationship, taught her to drive a truck.
“I was a real copy cat,” she laughed. She worked for her dad driving trucks for some time, and later on worked in Mission, with her husband.
Joy is a well-rounded woman, Matiowski added. Wishing to broaden her horizons and skill set, at 50 she went back to school, taking a small appliance repair and electrical course at BCIT.
When asked for words to live by, Crowley was very encouraging and positive: “Do what you want to do,” is the wisdom she wished to share. “You’ll get there…and be happy.”
While she enjoys many activities at Langley Lodge, one of her favourites is art therapy.
A new program to the lodge, art therapy uses the creative process of art-making to improve and enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the residents.
It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behaviour, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight, Matiowski said.
Art therapy is only made possible through charitable donations and community support.
In order to ensure this and other “beneficial” programs – such as music, horticulture, and art therapy – are a part of life at Langley Lodge, the Langley Care Foundation must fundraise.
Towards this end, the foundation is hosting its seventh annual Caring Hearts Gala on Saturday, Sept. 24.
For information or to buy tickets to the event, people can call Langley Lodge at 604-532-4207 or visit www.caringheartsgala.com.