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THE NEW TANNERTHURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2010 19Senior spotlight on Ruth BurkeThis week I am writ-weekly column on Diabetes visited back and forth sev-Centre member who is still June is ing about a lady who for the Oakville Beaver. She eral times a week over all very busy volunteering and never seems to stop knit-found it challenging to do Seniors the years.helping make lives better ting. When ever I see Ruth the research and come up Ruth Burk is another for many underprivileged MonthBurke, if she is sitting still, with something informative very busy Acton Seniors children.she had knitting needles in and different every week.The New Tanner is proud to feature seniors each week this monthher hand making gloves, or She has always enjoyed little pneumonia vests.sports and played fi rst base Ruths parents traveled on baseball teams for 20 Ruth with her grand-niece Madeline.many miles to make Can-years, and she bowled and ada their home. Her mother played basketball.Rose was born in Poland, She was also secretary and came to Toronto as a treasurer for Shaarei Beth El child in 1913. Her father her synagogue in Oakville Morris came from Ruma-for eight years, and was nia as a child and settled in one of the three people who Hamilton with his parents wrote and edited Shofar, in 1913.the monthly newsletter.They met in Port Cred-Ruth tells me she, one it. Ruths mothers parents sister and one brother are moved to California when the last of the founding she was 19, and Ruths members of the Synagogue father followed them. They which was built in 1952.married in California, and She has always enjoyed lived there for one year be-knitting and started during fore returning to Toronto.the war, knitting for the Red Ruth was born in Toron-Cross. She knitted numerous to and during her birth her sweaters, helmets etc; She mother became paralyzed. still knits for the Catholic This meant Ruths grand-church in Oakville, making parents had to look after pneumonia vest for children Ruth and her mother until in Africa and India, where to west in Canada and the Oakville, her lifelong friend her mother recovered which the days may be hot, but the USA, but the trip she most of 65 years told her if she took two years, although her nights can be cold.enjoyed was a three-week was moving, she should mothers hip bothered her Plus she knits slippers, cruise of the Black Sea and consider Acton. She helped all her life, and she had to toques and sweaters for or-Mediterranean, which vis-Ruth get her apartment. Ruth as a young girl have a hip replacement.phaned children in Siberia ited ports in Russia, Turkey, Ruth was Maid of Honour at Waiting for a ride visiting grandpar-Ruth has two younger which are shipped by a Greece Italy and Bulgaria.her wedding, and is still part home from the ents in California.sisters and two younger Pentecostal church in Mil-She has had her left hip of the family for all family Seniors Centre.brothers and they live in ton. She tells me she has replaced three times. The occasions. They had always Toronto, Oakville and Bur-knitted 1,800 articles for fi rst time in 1994 which only lington.this project alone. Ruth tells lasted one month, resulting Ruth grew up in Oak-me this project has recently in her hip dislocating six ville and attended Oakville been cancelled, due to the times, this meant a second High School. Two days after increased cost of shipping.hip replacement. Thankful-graduating Ruth started her Many people have been ly, the third time in 2007, first job working in an of-generous and donated wool seems to have been very fi ce where she remained for for her knitting projects.successful.two years.Since moving to Acton, Ruth joined the Acton Her father already had a she has become very inter-Seniors Centre in 1993, and business, Burks Salvage ested in Auctions. I asked since then has organized which sold used car parts her what specifically she the Rama trips and helped He decided to expand and was looking for and she run the Thursday afternoon open a new business selling said, Everything interest-Bid Euchre games. She also new car parts.ed me!worked at the desk for many Ruth had two weeks holi-Ruth has traveled exten-years.day and during this time sively, visiting Mexico, You might wonder what she helped him organize South Africa, Israel, and made Ruth move to Acton. and stock the shelves. As a three times to Switzerland. She tells me that when she child, she had helped him She has driven from east was deciding to move from with invoicing and paper work, so she decided to carry on working for her fathers company, which is where she remained until she retired. The scrap yard business United Way belonged to Ruths grand-of Halton Hills father originally, and was later sold. It was situated The United Way of Halton Hills will hold its Annual where the Oakville bus sta-General Meeting on Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 at 7pm at tion is now.Roxy Coffee House, 6 Mill Street, Acton. Ruths mother was diabet- Join us as we review our accomplishments over the past ic so Ruth accompanied her year and pay tribute to the Champions who helped us to the hospital and became surpass our 2009 Campaign goal! interested in diabetes. She Elections of the 2010/2011 Board of Directors will take was on the Board for the place. Canadian Diabetic Associa- tion in Oakville for 23 years, Come out and learn about the programs of Food for Life, and on the Ontario Diabetic one of our funded agencies. Board, which was located in London, for one year. She For more information, please contact the United Way of would have remained on the Halton Hills office at 905 877-3066. Ontario Board longer, but found the driving tiring. For 10 years she wrote a Give Where You Live