Louise Baur has lived in View Royal since her father built a house on Eaton Avenue using timber he milled himself on his property near Courtenay.

Her father, a veteran of the First World War, suffered from what was called B次元官网网址渟hell shockB次元官网网址� in those days, likely Post-Traumatic Stress

Disorder, and had moved the family to a farm in the Comox Valley to escape the stresses of city life.

The Great Depression made farming a hard go, however, and soon the family, along with the teenage Louise, moved back to the city.

Since then Baur left for periods of her life, but always returned to View Royal.

She is now the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her substantial volunteer work in the community, particularly her work with the View Royal archives.

The award is given to Canadians to honour significant contributions and achievements. In total 60,000 are being issued in honour of the 60th anniversary of the QueenB次元官网网址檚 accession to the throne.

B次元官网网址淚 feel honoured, but there are so many people in Victoria, and everywhere, who do so much volunteering,B次元官网网址� Baur said. B次元官网网址淏ut because IB次元官网网址檓 older, 85, IB次元官网网址檝e had time to do a lot more than most people.B次元官网网址�

After a career as a teacher, including 23 years at Camosun College teaching English as a second language, Baur settled into retirement with plans of travel and gardening. She did that but found herself with still a lot of time on her hands. She decided to fill that void by giving back.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 when I discovered volunteering,B次元官网网址� Baur said. B次元官网网址淎ltogether volunteering is a very satisfying sort of thing to do. And you meet so many remarkable people.B次元官网网址�

For three years, Baur volunteered with the breakfast program at LB次元官网网址櫭塩ole Shoreline Community middle school, serving toast and jam to students.

From there she went on to volunteer with a reading program at View Royal elementary. The B次元官网网址淩eading GrandmasB次元官网网址� worked with Grade 4 students to encourage literacy and the joys of reading.

Baur got interested in history while volunteering with the

Canadiana Costume Museum, which has since closed. That interest led to volunteering with the View Royal archives, which Baur helped to get up and running in the early 1990s and has been working since.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 know that I liked history,B次元官网网址� Baur said. B次元官网网址淚t just interested me to see the story of how this community, our neighbourhood, started, and how it grew.B次元官网网址�

Baur was presented her medal at the View Royal town council meeting on Nov. 20.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an honour, but I always think of all the other people. Everybody does something, itB次元官网网址檚 got to be a way of life, certainly when you retire,B次元官网网址� Baur said. B次元官网网址淚t feels good to be out and meet people and feel youB次元官网网址檙e part of a group; that youB次元官网网址檙e doing something useful. ItB次元官网网址檚 horrible to feel useless.B次元官网网址�