We know that volunteers are the backbone of any community. Without the efforts of people who donate their time, energy and expertise – asking for nothing but a thank you in return – many vital organizations and agencies would simply cease to function. In our third annual Our People, Our Peninsula feature, Peace Arch News is profiling seven volunteers whose efforts are making a meaningful difference in their community.
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If you have been to the Historic Stewart Farm in South Surrey, you have likely met volunteer Virginia Saunders.
Dressed in her turn-of-the-century costume, Saunders has greeted visitors with a warm smile for 35 years, assisting with school programs, special events, guided tours and many more programs.
As the sole remaining member of the original volunteer team formed when the site opened in 1988, Saunders has been a part of it all.
She began the tradition of decorating the farmhouse with live greenery during Christmas, as was done in Victorian times.
Saunders also helped develop the Girl Guides Heritage Badge program that launched in 2006.
When COVID caused the volunteer program to be put on hold, Saunders attended online training and engagement sessions to stay involved and connect with the team. When volunteers returned in February 2022, she was one of the first to step back into the farmhouse.
“Whether you have been to Historic Stewart Farm for a special event, school field trip or just dropped by to taste cookies baked on the woodstove, chances are you have been touched by Virginia’s legacy in some way or another,” tells Jerrilin Spence, curator at the historic site.
“We are so grateful for her presence.”
Saunders’ heritage contributions don’t end with her logged volunteer hours. She was instrumental in supporting the museum’s strategic planning and capital fundraising campaign for the 2005 relocation and reopening of the museum.
A lifetime local resident, she has also donated many items to the City of Surrey’s heritage collections.
She was the recipient of the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in 2016.