Mona Forsyth celebrated her 90th birthday in style.
Forsyth, coordinator of the New Westminster Food Bank, turned 90 on June 27. Friends, family and colleagues held a couple of celebrations in her honour, including a dinner out at The Keg attended by folks including Mayor Wayne Wright.
“I walked in and the mayor was there. I said, ‘Hi Wayne.’ He said, ‘Hi Mona, I am here for your birthday,’” she said. “I was floored.”
In recognition of her efforts with the local food bank, Forsyth was named New Westminster’s Citizen of the Year in 2009 and received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013.
A crew from the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society’s head office dropped by the New West depot to bring birthday greetings. The society also arranged for a couple of Harley-Davidsons to come by the local depot to take Forsyth for a spin.
“We went around New West,” she said. “It was awesome.”
In her younger years, Forsyth rode a motorcycle and was a member of the Greater Vancouver Motorcycle Club. Although she doesn’t ride a motorcycle anymore, the New West resident shows no signs of taking it easy.
“I am not slowing down,” she said. “Why the hell should I slow down?”
Forsyth continues to run the local depot on collection days and pick up donations from organizations.
“I do not eat healthy. I don’t take vitamins. I sit out in the sun,” she said. “I don’t do anything I am supposed to.”
Forsyth, who grew up in Vancouver, heads to her old stomping grounds and relaxes at Trout Lake every chance she gets.
“I just do one day at a time,” she said. “I honestly don’t feel 90, I really don’t. I don’t believe I’m 90. I am still active.”
