The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.2005, Síða 31

Vol. 59 #4
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
157
ful fellowship and companionship of the
Solskin Ladies who worked towards the
betterment of the Icelandic Home, Hofn.
- Thordis Wilson.
“I always looked forward to the birth-
day parties, the music and the wonderful
togetherness of our Solskin group whenev-
er we got together at Hofn.”
- Anna Pen way.
“When my friend Kristjana asked me
to give some impressions of the Icelandic
Care Home Hofn in Vancouver, she cau-
tioned me the emphasis was to be on Hofn,
not Solskin. To separate the Solskin Ladies
from Hofn seemed rather daunting as my
interaction with Hofn was through being a
Solskin member. Those caring, dedicated
ladies’ main objective was to enhance the
lives of the residents at Hofn and this they
continued to accomplish for the fifty-eight
years of Hofn’s existence as an Icelandic
Care Home.
Hofn sat high, overlooking the Fraser
River. The view from the dining room was
spectacular, a well chosen site by the
Icelandic community so many years ago. It
was scrupulously clean and well main-
tained . Sadly, it had many deficiencies such
as wiring, plumbing and lack of proper
earthquake protection; the halls were nar-
row and some bedrooms had to be shared,
which did not sit well with prospective res-
idents. More ambience was sought after,
making Hofn , in later years, the target for
the highest care patients, putting more
strain on the caregivers and staff. The
Administrator Marlene Wynes, was a capa-
ble woman who ran the Home for count-
less years with grace and professionalism,
along with a good staff, some of whom had
stayed on for twenty years or more.
The Hofn Society Board dedicated
years of unwavering support to the Hofn
Home. The final blow came when it was
announced that the government would be
withdrawing financial aid for upgrading
and it was determined that Hofn would be
torn down. It was a sad day for the Board
and the Icelandic community. It will be
replaced by an Assisted Living facility.
Hopefully, the new home will be graced by
some of the affection and loyalty that was
accorded Hofn in its fifty eight years of
existence.”
- Sylvia Sigurdson.
“There has always been a feeling of
welcome and warmth in the Icelandic Care
Home Hofn.”
- Fjola Edge.
“One time back in 1981 Inga Skaftfeld
asked me to go to a Solskin meeting with
her. I enjoyed the meeting very much; the
Solskin Ladies were all so welcoming and
seemed so happy to be together to plan
activities that would bring joy and comfort
to the residents at Hofn. When they invit-
ed me to become a member it was easy to
say yes and I hoped that I would become as
industrious as they were.
It was very rewarding to work with the
Solskin Ladies at our Bazaars, birthday and
seasonal parties for the residents at Hofn.
We all felt it was heartwarming and worth-
while to come to Hofn and work towards
helping the residents. It was a labour of
love for our Hofn.”
- Thelma Erlendson.
“There has always been a special spot
in my heart for our Hofn Home, where
love and caring prevailed.”
- Sylvia Wetten.
“Hofn will always be connected in my
mind with our wonderful Solskin group,
who have been like a second family, united
in a bond of friendship and love.
Thoughts of Hofn remind me of the
feeling of cleanliness as it always smelled
fresh and well cared for. I loved the sunny
dining room with its huge windows over-
looking the Fraser River. I enjoyed the
charming room which Marlene Wynes and
her staff provided for our meetings, with
the tables and chairs all in place; the pink
tablecloths and the smell of the coffee perk-
ing as we entered the room for our Solskin
meetings. My memories of Hofn are happy
memories; memories of doing something to
enrich the lives of the residents at Hofn and
in the process enriching our own lives.”
- Kristjana Magnusson Clark.