Garage sales, bake sales and bottle collecting – these are just some of the ways that Gwendolen Crowe, and her husband John, raised money for Operation Eyesight during their many years as donors.
Although both are no longer with us, their legacy of giving continues today. When Gwendolen passed in 2020, she left our organization a generous gift in her will. It was a decision she and John, who passed away in 2019, had thoughtfully made together.
Born in Leicester in the United Kingdom in 1931, Gwendolen (or Gwen, to her friends) was known for her lively spirit and love of performing. She and John moved to Canada in 1957, settling in Vancouver where she became a mainstay in the area’s theatre scene, acting, singing and directing for various theatre companies, all while working full time at CIBC and later at the BC Children’s Hospital. One of her favourite roles was dressing up as Mrs. Claus, with John playing Santa, for the kids at Vancouver’s Ronald McDonald House.
“She liked to laugh, she liked to bring joy to people,” says Gwen’s close friend, Jane Marynowski. “And I think this whole thing about her charities that she was so attached to, was she knew she was bringing joy to other people’s lives. That was important to her.”
In her late sixties, Gwen took a trip to India to see some of our projects in person. She travelled with Marilyn Gullison, daughter of Dr. Ben Gullison, whose work in India inspired our founder Art Jenkyns to start Operation Eyesight.
Although she was already a world traveller, the trip had a profound effect on Gwen.
“I think she found travelling in India to be a little different than her usual travels,” says Jane, who heard a lot of stories about that trip from Gwen, even decades later. “I think that really strengthened this attitude of gratefulness that she had. What she saw over there really did have an impact.”
Today, Gwen and John continue to make their own impact on people across the globe with their generous final gift, which will help us prevent blindness and restore sight for years to come. We are grateful to Gwen and John for their thoughtful, loyal support over the years!
Have you ever considered making a donation in your will? Learn more about Legacy Giving.
