It seems when you retire you show up on the radar of some interesting groups of people. One group is somewhat bitter that you have been able to retire while they still have to work. This group will try to entice you back into the work force, using flattery or other means.

Another group consists of people that have retired before you and have been tricked into volunteering for projects or committees, so they will try their best to make sure you don’t have any more leisure time than they do. They will be quite creative with the reasons why you and only you are the best fit for their board, committee or society.

Last spring, just about the time I was telling myself that I had to start saying no, I was approached by Alice, Ellen and Doris, three lovely hard-working Langley pioneers who put together the annual Douglas Day Banquet. They were very clever and suggested that it was time to ‘get some young people on their committee, some new blood.’ Well, it is not very often these days that I am a ‘youngster’ on any committee so my vanity stepped forward and I fell for it. I’m glad I did.

Douglas Day was first established in 1946 as a day to commemorate British Columbia becoming a Crown Colony. Langley’s Douglas Day banquet is in its 63rd year and it is one of the last remaining Douglas Day dinners in the province. Its longevity is due mainly to the hard work and dedication of the Langley Douglas Day Committee and, young or not, I have to hustle to keep up with this energetic group and their planning that starts six months ahead of the event.

To qualify as a Langley pioneer, you must be a minimum of 70 years old and have lived in the City or the Township of Langley for a minimum of 60 years. The annual banquet is designed to honour the builders of our community and it has become an event that brings them all together to reminisce and catch up. Unfortunately, the numbers decrease each year as some of the well-known names of our community pass on and head off to settle new territory.

It is difficult in this day and age to find someone who is willing to put down roots in one spot for 60 years. It is not only events such as this that are affected by the gypsy generations. Churches, service clubs, school organizations and Legions are all noticing the drop in memberships, and few families move into a city to settle and call a place their home town. It is not so easy to find work where you live and the 25 and 30-year employees seem to be a lost breed.

This is all the more reason why we take the time to honour those who cleared the land, built the homes and constructed the roads. Their farms led to the businesses, and the businesses brought people. It is important that we add to our list every year and we would be proud to add new names. If you know of anyone who meets the pioneer criteria, have them contact Lisa Striegler at the Township of Langley at 534-3211.

For the rest of you, stay awhile, settle down; it’s a pretty nice place to live. At least that’s what McGregor says.