St. Jamestown TV: Remembering Vickie Rennie

By Nea Maaty, a St. James Town/Moss Park journalist at Focus Media Arts centre.

Born on November 12, 1957, and living on the 19th floor, at 200 Wellesley street, Vickie Rennie will always be remembered as a woman who gave all of her energy and passion to the St. James community; giving seniors support, love, and warmth.
 
She loved her community passionately and wanted persistently to help with some of the struggles that seniors face because of food insecurity, isolation, and loneliness.

“ She was a good listener,”  said Kim Machado, a member at Bleeker Wellesley Network, an organization which was founded by Vickie in 1992.  Kim added, “ she always encouraged seniors to ask for what they needed”.

Vickie knew that for Seniors and for people with disabilities,” it is either now or never,” said Shirley Roberts, Coordinator of the Steering Committee at the St. James Town Community Corner (The Corner), where Vickie was one of the original founding members.   According to Shirley, Vickie’s personality was so strong. She insisted at doing things on her own, making sure that things get done and as soon as possible”. “She was very persistent,” said Shirley.

Vickie worked really hard to make an immediate change for people. She didn't want to just give away things to seniors, she encouraged them to take part and to collaborate based on the feedback that she got from the seniors themselves and the residents themselves.

Vickie made a change to seniors in the neighborhood through her volunteer work that she and others were all doing. Most of the seniors that were involved in Vickie’s network got to know each other and began getting active towards their own problems that they faced or pain that they were dealing with. The energy, passion, and love Vickie had towards what she was doing made everyone feel like a family.

“Vickie didn’t only work on food security but on their self-esteem; making their nails and hair. Going on trips together was another way of exploring these parts of them,” said Kevin Moore, a religious leader in the community who worked closely with Vickie and the Bleeker Wellesley Network.

Referring to community meals, “ everyone sat in the same place at their tables every time they returned. It became like a family.” said Kevin.

Vickie succeeded to use her own struggles as a fuel to solve her community problems. She overcame loneliness by being a part of a huge family by making everyone in her community a part of this family.

Vickie Rennie died on July 20, 2020. She will always be remembered.