“It’s good to be involved in the community and to meet new people.”

Caroline Sigrist grew up in Ontario; her father had been transferred to British Columbia and after a few visits she knew she would like it here and decided to make the move herself. She has been living in Port Coquitlam for around 35 years now. Prior to retiring, Caroline worked in Community Social Services, providing support to children and adults living with disabilities, including many on the Autism Spectrum. As a support worker, she was able to assist those who were living on their own but needed a little extra support and someone to check-in on them and help them work through their goals.

Caroline has been a volunteer with the City of Port Coquitlam since 2018 and has immersed herself in many different volunteer roles, including the Farmers Market, Christmas in Leigh Square and May Days Party in the Square. She also volunteers with the City’s Emergency Preparedness program, where she has been training to support community members in times of crisis. She recently completed a course on Emergency Pet Services, where she learned how to support animals and their owners seeking shelter during emergencies. Caroline has also put her work experience to use providing one-on-one support to a child with a learning disability. When staff reached out to volunteers looking for a Leisure Buddy to help an 8 year old girl wanting to participate in Arts programs, Caroline emailed right away saying she would be happy to help. Caroline feels “it’s good to be involved in the community and to meet new people.”

Caroline loves to travel, and since her husband is from Switzerland she has a good reason to explore the world. Each time they go to visit family in Switzerland they try to go somewhere different in Europe so that they can see new places and try new things. She also has a sailboat that they love to load up and go on adventures with. Recently they have been planning for a family member to come live with them from Switzerland and attend Riverside next year.

Caroline’s ability and willingness to jump in and help where is needed is one of the many reasons we value her and her support. The City of Port Coquitlam would like to thank Caroline for making a positive, inclusive impact on the community!