It's surprising, with such a big part of his life devoted to volunteering, that Bryan Terrace found time to earn a living.
Yet his working life appeared to leave scant room for community service, especially with family added to the mix. The affable North Vancouverite made it work and enjoyed life along the way.
Growing up in North Vancouver in the 1950s, Bryan played sports (rugby and competitive swimming), joined the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and started working after school when he was 14. Two weekends into his first job, bagging groceries at Super Valu in Lynn Valley, Bryan's boss made him an offer.
"He said, 'How would you like to go to 89?' I said 'Sure,' thinking great, a four cent raise after only two weekends on the job. It turned out 89 was the store number. So I didn't get the raise but I did change stores and worked at the Super Valu on Lonsdale until I was 19."
Many different paying jobs followed this one: truck driver, construction, electrician, drycleaning franchisee, alderman (youngest in the City of North Vancouver), insurance sales, electrician again and finally, mortician. And almost as many long-term volunteer jobs: 15 years as community band drum major, 25 years as auxiliary constable with the RCMP, S.O.B. (that's Some Old Boys), and charter member of the Ambleside Tiddlycove Lions Club for 40 years.
When Bryan stepped down in 1962 as head bagger at Super Valu 89, his career as a volunteer began. Art Smith, director of music for the North Vancouver Schools' Band, wanted him to teach the band to march. Giving up the bugle and drums he played in the sea cadets band, Bryan took up the drum major's mace and set the schools' band musicians to drilling.
"They didn't pay me, so I guess I was a volunteer," he says with a laugh. With Smith in charge of music and drum major Terrace in charge of field formations, the band garnered awards and accolades internationally and at home.
In 1975, Bryan was 32, married with two young sons and working in insurance sales with Joe Thornley. When Joe and his fellow Mount Seymour Lions decided to start a new club, they rounded up potential members, including Bryan.
Their first order of business was to decide on a name. Ambleside was easy: most of the self-described "motley crew" worked along that stretch of Marine Drive. Tiddlycove was a nod to the affectionate yet mocking image of West Vancouver immortalized by cartoonist Len Norris.
Joe, the veteran Lion, gave the newly chartered Ambleside Tiddlycove club two key messages. First, "The members of your club will become your lifelong friends." Second, pointing out the seasoned Mount Seymour Lions, "This is what you will look like in 40 years."
Forty years later, the club's three remaining charter members, Peter Black, Richard Goluboff and Bryan Terrace can attest to the truth of one of Joe's predictions.
Camaraderie and teamwork keep the Lions Christmas tree lot at Ambleside Park, the largest of the club's annual fundraising activities, ticking along smoothly. Bryan and his fellow Lions sell the trees. Sheltered from winter's rain and cold in a converted shipping container organized by Don Rippon, George Sim prepares meals for the volunteers and Rod MacIsaac manages the finances. Customers warm up at the fireplace and kids enjoy popcorn - the Lions' latest amenity, courtesy of Nigel Malkin.
Each sale adds to the benefits the Ambleside Tiddlycove Lions return to their community. Forty years of fundraising, generating well over $1 million, has supported organizations large and small and individuals in need too. For example the club has supported a new outpatients care centre at Lions Gate Hospital, an upgrade to the playground at Ambleside, and equipment for both the North Shore and Lions Bay search and rescue teams.
Christmas is almost with us. The trees are decorating homes across the North Shore. Bryan and his fellow Lions are in their dens. When they return to the lot at Ambleside for chip up, the first two weekends in January, the fireplace and the popcorn machine will be on. Bring in your tree, chip in a donation and say "Hi" to the Lions.
Laura Anderson works with and for seniors on the North Shore. 778-279-2275 [email protected]
