Jessie Smythe, second from left, poses under a banner expressing appreciation for her work with six different Osoyoos community organizations. With her are the three women who planned the surprise event to honour her (from left) Birgit Arnstein, Smythe, Janis St. Louis and Mayor Sue McKortoff. (Richard McGuire photo)

It was supposed to be a surprise event for long-time Osoyoos super volunteer Jessie Smythe on Sunday, but she suspected something might be planned for her when she was persuaded to stay overnight in Osoyoos on Saturday.

Smythe, who moved to Penticton last year after 25 years in Osoyoos, was in town for the annual Volunteer Appreciation Awards on Saturday.

She wasn’t receiving an award this time. As Mayor Sue McKortoff announced at Saturday’s event, “Jessie, we can’t give you any more awards because you’ve already won every award that we’ve ever given out in Osoyoos.”

Despite her suspicions, nobody let the cat out of the bag until Smythe walked into the Osoyoos Senior Centre Sunday afternoon and saw a huge banner on the stage saying: “Thank you Jessie.”

The banner also had the names of the six Osoyoos organizations Smythe has worked for tirelessly over the past years: the Osoyoos Festival Society, the Osoyoos and District Arts Council, the Osoyoos Soroptimists, Market on Main, Osoyoos Lawn Bowling and the Mariposa Auxiliary.

And there to meet her for tea – or coffee as the case may be – were members of each of these organizations all wearing colour-coded nametags representing their groups.

Smythe’s special nametag was a rainbow of colours.

The plan for the secret event was hatched by three local women who have worked with Smythe in the various groups: Mayor Sue McKortoff, Janis St. Louis, and Birgit Arnstein.

“I thought that something needed to be done to honour Jessie,” said McKortoff. “So I said to Janis and Birgit that we should do something. So I had the two of them into my office and the three of us decided to put on this little event for Jessie.”

Smythe said no single event stands out from her time volunteering in Osoyoos.

“It’s all been good memories,” she said. “The town, all the people here.”

Then she shared a secret after hearing the many words of thanks.

“They don’t realize that I got as much out of it as the organizations did,” she said in an interview.

Smythe said she got the satisfaction of helping, as well as a sense of accomplishment. She served as treasurer for most of the groups at different times, and when she made the books balance each month, she felt satisfied.

Of course, volunteering also led her to form many friendships over the years.

Smythe was known for being very organized. Despite moving to Penticton, she’s already purchased stuffed animals for next year’s Easter Eggstravaganza, buying them up in sales right after Easter this year.

One of her volunteer tasks was buying gifts for residents of Mariposa Gardens.

The money comes from fundraising by the Mariposa Auxiliary, and Smythe goes out and buys them, wraps them and puts tags on them. Then she delivers them to residents.

“She starts in September,” said McKortoff. “She’s so organized.”

She’s even put aside wrapping paper for Christmas this year.

Smythe moved to Osoyoos from Toronto after she retired in the early 1990s. McKortoff said Smythe didn’t know much about computers at the time, so she went to Osoyoos Secondary School and was taught by McKortoff’s late husband.

“Mel always maintained that Jessie was his best student,” said McKortoff.

After mastering the computer and desktop publishing, she applied her skills to making posters, tickets and other printed materials for the organizations she volunteered with.

“She is just an amazing woman,” said McKortoff.

While Smythe continues to come to Osoyoos to help with groups such as the Soroptimists, she’s also considering getting involved with groups in Penticton.

South Okanagan Women In Need Society (SOWINS) is one she’s considered, because it is women helping women. And she’s already volunteering at the residence where she lives.

She’s happy in Penticton and is making new friends, but asked what she’ll miss most about Osoyoos, her answer says it all: “The whole town,” she said. “I really felt connected to Osoyoos.”

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times

Correction: This story has been updated to indicate that money for gifts to Mariposa residents comes from fundraising by the Mariposa Auxiliary.

Jessie Smythe (left) listens as representatives of local organizations praise her volunteer contributions. To her right are Mayor Sue McKortiff and Birgit Arnstein, who, along with Janis St. Louis, organized a surprise tea for her. (Richard McGuire photo)

Jessie Smythe acknowledges the kind words about her from representatives of local organizations and she said she enjoyed her time volunteering in Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire photo)