After serving her community as Area H director on the CVRD for the past 25 years, Mary Marcotte is now officially retired.
Marcotte took a leave of absence from her position in September 2019, and resigned in March 2020 due to health reasons.
RELATED: Long-time CVRD director for North Oyster/Diamond resigns
Plans for Marcotte’s retirement party were scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic, so Ben Maartman Guy Dauncey, Pamela Walker, Ross Shepard, and Kelly Daniels formed the Mary Marcotte appreciation comittee, and planed a parade to celebrate Marcotte. The parade took place on Sunday, August 23.
“Seeing Mary’s face was worth everything, because she’s put so much effort and energy into this community” Maartman said. “To watch the community show their love for her was very moving.”
Over 50 vehicles came out to celebrate Marcotte and wish her well. Around 150 people were counted, all of whom were familiar faces.
“She knew them all,” Maartman said. “It was a real time of connection.”
Maartman said that Marcotte’s achievements over her career are like ‘jewels in a crown’. He pointed to her efforts to upgrade the North Oyster Fire Department, and maintaining the parks of Area H.
“I think about the crown she wears, it’s about integrity, and doing the right thing,” Maartman said.
Firefighters from North Oyster Volunteer Fire Department, (NOVFD) led the parade with their fire engine, and had a significant presence in the parade.
After the parade ended, NOVFD stuck around to give her a bouquet of flowers, and NOVFD captain, Kris Hill delivered a speech about how much NOVFD appreciates her years of service.
“I couldn’t just leave it at nothing,” Hill said. “Mary was the right person for the community. Mary was at every single community meeting, every single community event. Mary was there. Mary was always, always there.”
“She took time out of her busy schedule to get to know people in this community personally, and found out their concerns, what they were interested – Mary really took the time to serve this community exceptionally well, and she did it with pride for so long.”
As for the Marcotte family, they were delighted that the community showed up in such numbers to celebrate Mary.
Mary’s husband, Barry Marcotte said that the parade went ‘quite well’.
“I felt good about it. I wish it wouldn’t have been COVID and we could have chatted face to face,” Barry said. “We did the best we could in the situation, and what’s wrong with doing the best you can?”
“We live in a pretty good area. There isn’t one of my neighbours I would trade for anything – period. It was a real good bunch of people, and Mary enjoyed it.”