'Pelham is home': Retired nurse continues to help community

It seems that Lois LaCroix was always been drawn to trying to make things better. Growing up on a farm in the north end of Pelham, LaCroix was a member of the 4-H Club with her siblings.

“My brothers and sisters were involved in the livestock end of it, I was involved in the homemaking and cooking,” said said. “It was a nice plan for the family.”

LaCroix left Pelham when she went off for school, studying nursing. She married and had children. She said as she became involved in nursing she got involved with union matters, “working to make work-life better for nurses and working with government agencies.”

LaCroix was involved with Niagara Regional Housing in the early stages trying to get affordable housing for people with mental health issues. She on that board for a number of years.

Over a 35-year career in nursing, she has worked as a registered nurse in the Niagara Health system at the St. Catharines site, in the Niagara Region mental health program, and as a manager for infectious diseases for Niagara Region.

LaCroix also was a clinical instructor at Brock University's department of nursing. After retiring, she said she and her husband were looking to downsize. That is when LaCroix returned to Pelham.

She said it “felt like home.”

“I think growing up in the area, you just have an appreciation of what a region it is to begin with. And then in Pelham, we have so many resources.”

Currently, Lacroix is active in community volunteer work. She is involved with the Pelham Horticultural Society, is a committee member of the Beautification Committee for the Town of Pelham, and secretary for Pelham Advocates for Trees and Habitat (PATH).

She has been a member of PATH of four years. In her role as secretary she is responsible for documenting the minutes of their group's monthly meetings.

PATH works with Town Council by attending the meetings and providing representation on some of the committees such as the Pelham Environmental and Climate Adaption Committee.

LaCroix represents PATH on the Niagara Region Environmental Climate Action Committee. In that role she helps to provide “a focus on the best use of Pelham and the Niagara region.”

She said this includes paying attention to environmental factors like water and trees.

Her favourite part about her volunteering is the interactions she gets to have.

“We all have similar goals of wanting to preserve the environment of Pelham,” she said. “I think it gives me an opportunity to be involved more at the town level and to have an idea of what their thoughts are in terms of growth and how we can influence their actions as well.”

LaCroix elaborated by saying that people do not immediately recognize the importance and significance a tree can have.

Reflecting back, LaCroix noted she had a tendency to “just kind of float to the urgent needs of different stages of life,” whether it was helping her family, serving the community as a nurse, helping her union co-workers and educating the group coming up behind her.

Currently, she turns her thoughts to the youth coming up.

“I am looking at what's happening to the Pelham I used to know growing up—watching people destroy trees because they hate leaves. It's frustrating.”

LaCroix said she wanted to make sure people understand what an impact trees and forests or natural, habitats have on on the environment and on our health.

“It provides better overall quality of life.”

LaCroix said she wanted people to understand better how humans impact the environment.

“I would just encourage people to think before they buy or before they travel, 'What is the impact on the environment that this is going to have?’ and look for the least destructive aspects of living their day-to-day life.”

Updated to correct the name of a Town committee.