Executive of the Board
Warren Jones
Chief Executive Officer
Member of Sechelt Branch
Warren Jones started his retail career at age 16 working part-time at Sears in Surrey until he graduated from BCIT with a marketing diploma. He was then hired by Sears as a Department Manager working in various stores and departments. In 1983 Warren was hired by London Drugs as a Store Supervisor and within 5 years, he became a Store Manager. He managed several stores in the Lower Mainland and Abbotsford, was instrumental in the relocation of the Clearbrook store to a new location, and opened new stores in Maple Ridge and Mission He also spent a full year at London Drugs Head Office developing their overall store information and tracking systems which are still being used today. In 2007, Warren moved to the Gibson’s store on the Sunshine Coast and managed that store until retiring after 32 years of employment with London Drugs. He joined the Health Care Auxiliary in 2014.
Anne Selder
Executive Officer
Member of Halfmoon Bay Branch
Anne semi-retired to the Sunshine Coast in 2000 from a career as Computer Software Tester. She and her husband built and ran a Bed & Breakfast until 2012. She was involved with the B&B Association on the board as Marketing Chair. She has also been actively involved in the Sunshine Coast Quilters Guild since 2001, with their youth program, quilt shows and other positions. Creative endeavors are her passion. Her garden and nature walks keep her fit. She joined the Auxiliary in 2015 and is currently the Shorncliffe Rep for the HMB Branch, Past Chair of the HMB Branch and is looking forward to the challenges of being part of the Executive team.
Marian Mitchell
Executive Officer
Member of Sechelt Branch
Marian’s love for the sunshine Coast was launched long ago and along with her husband and children enjoyed every summer on the Coast since 1967. They lived in Sechelt briefly from 1973 to 1976 and their two youngest children were born at St Mary’s hospital. They were transferred to the mainland and brought up the family in North Vancouver. She enjoyed a career in Customer Service with the Royal Bank, Cantel (Rogers) Wireless, Rogers Cable and retired from Shaw Cable as Project Manager in 2011. Their love for the coast brought them back to retire in 2015 and she joined the Sechelt Healthcare Auxiliary at that time. She has held several positions within the Auxiliary and recognizes the value of giving back to our community and is happy to be part of the Auxiliary.
Jacqui Jones-Cox
Executive Officer
Member of Halfmoon Bay Branch
Jacqui lived and worked in North Vancouver as a Librarian and Branch Coordinator with North Vancouver District public library for close to 30 years and has had a home in Halfmoon Bay since 2003. She loves working with and being able to give back to the community. When she retired in 2018, she began volunteering with the Auxiliary as Publicity Officer until her term was up in 2023. It was a role she thoroughly enjoyed. She is now looking forward to continuing on the Board as Executive Officer and contributing to the success of the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary in other ways. She also enjoys putting her librarian training to good use helping with sorting and displaying the donated books at the Thrift Store.
Klaus Blume
Treasurer
Member of Hopkins Landing Branch
Klaus taught in Prince George for 34 years, before retiring to the Sunshine Coast. Prior to volunteering for the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary (Hopkins Branch), Klaus spent ten years as a volunteer with the Royal Canadian Marine Search And Rescue, Station 14, Gibsons. Klaus was an active crew member in addition to his work as unit treasurer, responsible for gaming grants and managing government and donation funding. Klaus feels strongly that volunteer work not only contributes to the community but adds value to each individual who has time to share their skills and resource base.
Louise Dewar
Publicity
Member of Sechelt Branch
Louise was born and raised on the Sunshine Coast and has been back here living full time since 2016. She has been a member of the Auxiliary for the past 3 years, volunteering and learning the ropes in the book section from fellow volunteer and mom Reta. Her background is in graphic design, and now being semi-retired she is looking forward to learning further while volunteering in this role within the Auxiliary.
Maureen Hamblin
Secretary
Member of Sechelt Branch
It seems I’ve always been a secretary and here I am still doing the job I love! We bought in Sechelt in 2005, retired in 2007 and went full-time RVing for eight years while our son lived in the house. We finished that in 2015 and by the end of 2016 had built our new house where the old house had stood. We love our community and volunteering is a great way to meet people. I joined the Auxiliary in early 2019 after being invited by a lovely lady I was sitting next to on the bus to Vancouver. I work at the Thrift Store on Mondays and have also served as Secretary for the Sechelt Branch over the past year.
Committee Chairs
Lorna Snazell
Co-Chair of Thrift Store
Member of Gibsons Branch
Lorna recently completed two years with Gibsons Branch as co-chair, which she says “were interesting times through Covid”. She kept in touch with all the members and will be endeavouring to do the same with the Thrift Store. She is looking forward to the new challenge. In this role she will again have Mary by her side. They work very well together and she hopes to have another successful two years at the Thrift Store.
Mary Braun
Co-Chair of Thrift Store
Member of Gibsons Branch
Mary and her husband moved to the Sunshine Coast in 1973. She worked for the Bank of Montreal for 2 years. After the birth of their 3rd daughter they purchased the Roberts Creek General Store, which they operated from 1980 – 1988. Mary then worked for School District #46 as a Special Education Teaching Assistant for 24 years. In 2014 she retired and joined the Hospital Auxiliary, where she enjoys working at the Thrift Store. She has also been a member of the Legion for over 40 years, was a member of CUPE and belongs to T.O.P.S. weight group. She has held executive positions in all groups. Mary also has 6 grandchildren to keep her busy.
Deb Young
Co-Chair of the Loan Cupboard
Member of Halfmoon Bay Branch
Deb joined the Healthcare Auxiliary shortly after retiring to Halfmoon Bay in 2005 from a rewarding career in Logistics Management/ Marine Operations for a global Vancouver based petrochemical company.
Her volunteering started with the Loan Cupboard in 2007 where she remains, and included other work with Community Services, SPCA and now with Elderdog Canada.
Being from the prairies Deb’s value of community involvement is ingrained and she is happy to have found that same fulfilment here in her home on the Sunshine Coast.
Sherry Masters
Co-Chair of the Loan Cupboard
Member of Gibsons Branch
Sherry moved to the Sunshine Coast in 1996 to join David, the love of her life. They moved from Roberts Creek to Gibsons in 2005. She retired in 2008 after a varied career that included commercial salmon fishing off the west coast of Vancouver Island, social work, production pottery, non-profit management, and consultation in health care administration, policy and research. She loves traveling, hiking, gardening, playing her cello, and hanging out with grandkids. Sherry feels strongly about giving back to the community, has been involved in some type of volunteer activity throughout her adult life, and began working at the Loan Cupboard approximately 6 years ago.
Donna Keywich
Chair of the Gift Shop
Member of Hopkins Landing Branch
Donna grew up, married and raised her family in Burnaby. She retired to the Coast with her husband in 2007. She joined the auxiliary later that year and was able to meet and connect with the community. Thru this organization Donna has made many wonderful friendships. Along the way her passion for “shopping” drew her to the Gift Shop where she currently manages and does the buying along with a great team of volunteers.
Karen Archer
Chair of Education
Member of Halfmoon Bay Branch
Karen retired early having completed a 25 year career in human resources management, first with the Hudson’s Bay Company and then with the North Shore Credit Union. Together with her husband Ian they relocated from North Vancouver to the Sunshine Coast in 1997. Karen joined the auxiliary in 1998 and became the coordinator of Junior Volunteers. This first position has led to almost 25 years of auxiliary volunteer service. She has been president of our own auxiliary, and has also served the BCAHA as the Lower Mainland Rep and as the Director of Communications. Most recently she served on our Granting Committee since its conception. Also during this time Karen served as director of the Sunshine Coast Credit Union, Sunshine Coast Community Services Society, and Sunshine Coast Resource Centre. Obviously one of Karen’s values is to support an organizations human resources. This fits right into our Education Committee.
Branch Chairs
Karen Biddlecombe
Chair of Halfmoon Bay Branch
Karen and her husband came to the coast in 2008 to build their retirement home in preparation for retirement. After a long career in Human Resources and Safety Management, she semi-retired in 2013 continuing conducting Safety audits for the construction industry until fully retiring at the end of 2021. Joining the Aux in 2015 she jumped in to the membership role for the Halfmoon Bay branch in her first month. She volunteered at the Loan Cupboard for many years and has been actively involved in the Sunshine Coast Quilters Guild since 2008 as their newsletter editor, quilt show chair, programs and other positions. With her father and grandfather as role models, Karen enjoys following in their footsteps and giving back to the community.
Candice Sayre
Interim Chair of Sechelt Branch
After graduating from the University of Michigan, Candice taught English and Spanish at high school and college levels. She changed careers and became a trial lawyer and partner in a law firm in Houston, Texas, practicing in federal and state courts for nearly 25 years. Candice and her husband Ali moved to the Sunshine Coast in 2004 and owned an Apple Computer ReSeller store in Sechelt. After selling the business in 2010, Candice volunteered at the local SPCA and taught English as a Second Language through Capilano College while serving on the board of the West Sechelt Community Association. She also became a Canadian citizen. She joined the Sunshine Coast Healthcare Auxiliary in 2013 and has served in various capacities, including serving as chair of the Sechelt Branch and President and Past President of the Auxiliary in 2019-20.
Georgina Covey
Co-Chair of Gibsons Branch
Georgina was born and raised in Saskatchewan and moved to Vancouver after completing school. While on vacation on the Sunshine Coast in 1972 she received a job offer for employment at the pulp mill in Port Mellon. She worked for the many owners of the pulp and short time paper mill, for 45 years plus. Georgina has always volunteered in our community, and is a Lions member. After retirement she wanted to give back a bit more, and with time on her hands joined the Gibsons Branch of the Auxiliary where she currently works in the Loan Cupboard at the hospital.
Linda Paterson
Co-Chair of Gibsons Branch
Linda was born in Vancouver and moved to the Coast in 1983. Her children were raised in Roberts Creek and she supported her husband in the building and retail businesses. She has been a member of the Girl Guides since 1989 and joined the Lions Club in 2012. Linda enjoys camping and sewing and is currently working in the Loan Cupboard at the hospital.
Margaret Matthews
Chair of Hopkins Landing Branch
Margaret, a retired elementary school admin assistant, and her husband Ryan moved from Saanichton to the Sunshine Coast in the summer of 2016. They have 2 children and 1 grandchild. They love the coast and spend lots of time outdoors sailing, hiking, kayaking, biking, gardening, and enjoying travel. Margaret joined the auxiliary in 2019 to become active in community service and to meet new people. She started working in the Gift Shop and went on to become 2nd and 1st Vice of the Hopkins branch. Margaret is looking forward to her new role as Chair with the Hopkins Branch.
