Sarjit Manhas, President

Sarjit was born in Leechtown, near Sooke. She was raised and educated in Esquimalt and Victoria. Prior to joining the British Columbia Government in 1969, she traveled extensively through India and the Middle East (lived in the Sudan). Her service career for the first 23 years was with Ministers of Economic Development, Tourism, Agriculture & Food, Mining, Post Secondary Education and the Attorney General. Before retiring in 1996, she was the Briefing Coordinator for the Ministry of Health. On retirement, she immediately joined BCGREA and served on the Victoria Executive in various positions. She became Chair of the Branch in 2003.

Sarjit's current volunteer service includes the Canadian Scottish Regimental Association due to her early Reserve military service with the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's). She is a member of Pioneer Co-operative Housing Association and is generous with her time on cooperative housing issues. She has also given service to the Royal British Columbia Museum (Gift Shop), the READ Society and the Greater Victoria Art Gallery. Sarjit strongly believes in public service and "giving back" to the community.

Her leisure time is spent reading spy thrillers, gardening, entertaining, working out, decorating and creating pieces of stained glass art. In between she enjoys the company of her teacup Chihuahua, Santiago.

She is divorced and has one son.

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Fred Bennett, 1st Vice-President

Fred moved to British Columbia from Alberta in 1958 to seek fortune and fame - and came to realize there was none to be had. He entered nursing school at Essondale, B.C. and graduated as a Psychiatric Nurse in 1961. He was subsequently employed as Staff Nurse and Assistant Head Nurse for 12 years at Riverview Hospital. Fred returned to school at BCIT to complete the General Nursing Program, returning to his employment at Riverview Hospital in 1975 as Head Nurse. He retired from this position in 1996.

Fred has resided in Coquitlam since 1959. He has over the years enjoyed coastal boating and has taught many boating programs for the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons. He has also engaged in competitive hand gunning as a hobby. His current interests are not quite as physically demanding. He enjoys the restoration of British cars and motorcycles and is a member of several related clubs.

In 1996 Fred joined the BCGREA as a member but soon found himself elected to the position of Vice-Chair and now holds the position of Chair of the New Westminster and District Branch. To add to his busy schedule, he accepted the position of First Vice-President of the Provincial body of BCGREA in 2001. His actions speak for what he believes in..'Everyone must do their part.'

Fred is divorced and has three adult children.

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Carrie Mulcahy, 2nd Vice-President

Carrie was born and raised in Victoria, B. C. where she attended UVic before moving to Montreal. After completing her nursing education there, Carrie worked at the Royal Victoria Hospital before moving to Ontario where she worked in Public Helalth Nursing before returning to her native province.

Carrie worked, also in Public Health Nursing, for the B. C. Government in a number of communities, including Vancouver, Victoria, Kitimat, Nanaimo, Vernon, Surrey, Delta and White Rock before moving to Campbell River to work for VIHA in Home and Community Health. She was married, and is divorced.

On retirement, Carrie joined the BCGREA and took on the Chair position of the Campbell River Branch for the next five years. For the last four years she has been the Secretary of the Branch. Her leisure time is spent watercolour painting, reading, gardening, swimming, travelling, and getting together with her friends. Carrie is a member of the Campbell River Duplicate Bridge Club. She enjoys playing in bridge tournaments in various communities.

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Lawrence Johnson, Past President

I moved to British Columbia from Alberta in 1960 and completed high school in Dawson Creek. I worked for a short period of time for the Alberta Wheat Pool before joining the British Columbia Forest Service on June 28th, 1965. I started as a junior compass-man cruising timber in Prince George. I was also stationed in Dawson Creek, Stony Lake, and Quesnel, and completed my career 36 years later in Prince George on August 31st, 2001. I joined the B.C.G.R.E.A. Branch #1600 as soon as I retired. During my working life, I was active in the B.C.G.E.U. and held many positions, including Component Chairperson and member of the Master Bargaining Committee. My community involvement included serving on the Board of Directors of the Prince George and District United Way for almost 15 years and also a member of the Executive Board of the Prince George Alcohol and Drug Services Society for 5 years. I now serve as a Trustee of the Public Service Pension Board.

My wife Gloria and I moved to Nanaimo in 2002 to be closer to our grandchildren and warmer winters. We enjoy travelling (especially cruising) walking, hiking, and gardening. I enjoy playing bridge and belong to two bridge clubs. We joined the B.C.G.R.E.A., Nanaimo/Mid-Island Branch upon moving to Nanaimo, and I was elected Chairperson in September, 2003. Besides being members of the B.C.G.R.E.A., we are members of the Probus Club of Lantzville. I volunteer at Income Tax time for Bowen Park Seniors and for Loaves and Fishes organizations. Gloria and I have been married for 35 years and have two grown children, and two grandchildren, our married daughter lives in Lantzville, and our son lives in Calgary.

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Kathy Torhjelm, Secretary

I completed a BA in Psychology and Sociology in 1962 at Victoria College (affiliated to UBC). I married my husband Charles that year and was fortunate to be able to stay at home for 25 years while we raised our four children. True Vancouver Islanders, I was born and brought up in Port Alberni and Charles was born in Ladysmith. During our 43 years of marriage we have lived in Victoria, Duncan and now Nanaimo.

While I was at home I operated a licensed family child care and advocated for quality child care and quality child care providers for many years.

In 1989 I became a member of the BCGEU when I was hired by the Central Vancouver Island Health Unit to be a licensing officer, monitoring both child and adult care facilities in this region. Over the course of my employment I became a chief licensing officer for the Central Vancouver Health Region and a Supervisor of Licensing for the Vancouver Island Health Authority with responsibility for both Central and North Vancouver Island. It was truly a privilege to be able to contribute to this rewarding work.

I retired in February 2005 (on my 65th birthday) and joined the BCGREA and serve as the secretary of the Nanaimo/Mid-Island Branch - No. 0600. I am active in my community as a member of the City of Nanaimo Social Planning Advisory Committee, the Canadian Federation of University Women, Community Kitchens, Toastmasters and Brechin United Church. In my spare time I enjoy knitting, reading and visiting with our four amazing grandchildren.

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David Adams, Treasurer

I was born in England and grew up in India, where my father worked for the North Western Railway in the Punjab. With my brother we went to boarding school in Simla, in North India.

Following graduation, I accepted a job where I tasted teas and sold tea at auctions with a tea broking firm in Calcutta. For recreation I played golf and squash, and did some big-game hunting. In Britain and Europe I travelled with friends before moving to Ontario in 1959.

In Toronto I worked in industry and did the C.G.A. programme, graduating in 1966. While doing this I married and raised a family. After working in industry, I joined the faculty of Humber College of Applied Arts & Technology, where I taught finance and accounting subjects.

In 1975 I accepted a two-year assignment with the Canadian International Development Agency, as Controller of the Lesotho National Development Agency in Southern Africa.

After my return to the College for an additional year of teaching, I joined the Office of the Comptroller General, Ministry of Finance in Victoria. A year later I won a competition to the Ministry of Education as Director of Post Secondary Finance.

My son and family live in Grand Prairie, Alberta with two grandsons. My younger daughter works for Veterans Affairs in the Okanagan, and the older one lives quietly in Calgary.

In 1991, I left the Public Sector and worked in consulting for a few years. My life changed for me in 1992 and I moved to the Cowichan Valley, where I have volunteered with several groups. During this time I was fortunate to meet Jerry in Cobble Hill, and have enjoyed meeting many members of her large family. Finally, with Neil Robertson and a few other retirees, we started our latest Branch in Duncan, where I have been Treasurer since inception. I have also been a member of our Finance Committee and an Examiner for the past few years.

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Nancy Stewart , Membership Secretary

Nancy arrived in Victoria BC from Ontario in May 1974 with three children. Looking forward to better career opportunities hoping for a more moderate climate weather wise. After a couple of no future positions in the private sector she decided she wanted to work in the Public Sector. In June 1977 she started her first of three Auxiliary positions the last one with Forestry where she became permanent in February 1978 retiring in September 2003.

Soon after becoming a member of BCGREA she took on the volunteer job of phoning members to advise them of meeting information. Next came the volunteer job of overseeing the Phone Committee and then the Membership. Volunteering has been one of the many adventures before during and after retirement Nancy has enjoyed. She is looking forward to meeting and working for our members around the Province in the BCGREA.

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