On Tuesday, the Calgary Food Bank honoured the retirement of long-time volunteer Terry Deets after his 42 years of service. Deets started volunteering in the 1980s and became a cornerstone of the organization, known for his unwavering dedication to the food bank's mission.
A Legacy of Service
Before hanging up his vest, Deets did everything from volunteering in the warehouse to welcoming new volunteers and attending special events. Looking back, his favourite memories are with everyone at the food bank.
After delivering a speech to a room full of staff and volunteers, he said he didn't really know how to say goodbye. "On behalf of the Calgary Food Bank, I just don't know how to say thank you for all the courage and stuff you taught me in all these years," Deets said. "To all the staff and volunteers who helped me out, thank you so much."
Deets was known as a very outgoing, friendly and well-known volunteer at the food bank, said Shirley Rosen, who is responsible for volunteer resources. Rosen and Deets gave a little back and forth before he cut his cake to mark the occasion, which she said is part of what makes him wonderful. "To me, he's part of my family and I think for everyone who knows who Terry is," Rosen said. "Terry, you are always going to be the Mayor of the Calgary Food Bank, and I can't wait to have coffees with you and I wish you the best of luck."
Volunteering for Most of Food Bank's Existence
After serving for more than four decades, Deets' tenure holds the record for the longest-standing volunteers, said food bank CEO Melissa From. Their organization has been in existence for 44 years, and Deets has been around for most of it. She still remembered her first day on the job three years ago, and one of the most important things at the time was being able to pass the "Terry Test."
"It didn't matter that I'd gone through, (like) interviews with the board, different assessments and things I had to go through to get this job," From said. "If on day one, Terry Deets didn't like me, I was out. And so I think I did OK." Since Deets loves everyone, it's not that hard of a test, but it still demonstrates an important part of their culture and their ability to work and guide one another, From said. His departure marks the end of an era, and it will take three or four people to fill his shoes.
Need Growing for Calgary Food Bank
Since they serve close to 1,000 families every day, getting between seven to 10 days' worth of food, From said their services are needed more than ever. "We've just seen unprecedented growth in our city population-wise, and with that growth in our city has come growth in need," From said. "Obviously we've seen incredible inflation in groceries and in fuel, and those costs hit families hard and folks who are already struggling with their budget and bootstrapped, to then have those small increases that just compound one after the other, often it leaves folks with no choice but to lean on their local food bank for support."
