Dear Editor,
I’m 102 and have short-term memory loss and now concerned about how my long term memory will function, especially now when our thoughts and sympathy with Launi and family of Norm Jacobsen.
This spectacular situation involved Norm when he was Social Credit MLA (1986 to 1991). This was 40 years ago so lots of details are forgotten, especially names of places.
With two letters and a phone call from Victoria to come over and do my chalk talks [presentations], there was no way could I travel on buses and ferries with my easel and stuff in a black garbage bag.
Now the legislature was in session. I picked up the phone to phone Norm but just couldn’t so I put it down. The next day I called again this time I told him about receiving three requests to do my talks within three days – first senior church members, then a youth group and the downtown Salvation Army shelter.
Norm’s reply was “I’d be glad to help anyone who is serving the Lord.”
We left Maple Ridge in Norm’s car with me and my equipment, and another MLA from the Fraser Valley. Norm drove me to the residence I was to stay at in Victoria. The next two days was taking local buses to places I did my presentations. On the last night, I slept at the downtown shelter and the major introduced me to do the morning service at the Salvation Army shelter.
This trip gave me a wonderful observation of this special person – Norm Jacobsen.
Ernie Poignant, Abbotsford
[Editor’s note: Norm Jacobsen died on his 89th birthday on April 17, 2019. He was an alderman in 1971 and ’72, mayor from 1976 to 1981 and MLA from 1986 to 1991.]
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