Why We Need TIRRA... The Phone Book

When Graeme and I purchased our property on Thetis in 1988, the “phone book” was a few sheets of paper with phone numbers. Marge Hunter was putting it together for TIRA at that time. The purpose was always just to make it possible to keep in touch with each other, if something important was going on, or needing to be done. The purpose has never changed, but the numbers have, obviously, grown. Not so much that we can't keep it compact and useful, but the sheets have become a book, and the record is there for emergency aid, and useful island information, as well as friends keeping in touch.

I've done it now for over 20 years, and do you know what I've enjoyed most about it? Just being in touch - with so many people I might never have encountered otherwise. The excuse is to make sure their information is still current, but then I get to say hello and find out how they're doing, if they feel like telling me. And talking with part-timers who've had property here for generations. Maybe the one I'm talking to is on the other side of the country, and they want to know how Thetis is doing these days. It's a delight to have that contact. I consider it one of the nicest volunteer jobs I do.

Keeping the maps up to date can be kind of interesting too. The rest of it is spreadsheets, layout, and a good relationship with the printer :-)

(another in the series of short notes on what TIRRA does for us all, and why we need it.)

Thank you for reading,
Veronica for the TIRRA Executive Board