The seven-year itch has arrived for one local woman, who is hanging up her Welcome Wagon representative hat to look to new adventures. Jennifer Foy has been an active volunteer in Cochrane since moving from Calgary 11 years ago with her husband Richard – also an dedicated volunteer, who she lost to cancer last fall. While her role with the Welcome Wagon – the Cochrane branch of the national home visit, gift-bearing greeting service in town for newcomers – is a paid one, the root of her work stems from her passion for volunteerism and everything community. "I have absolutely loved every minute of the last seven years and I've met people from around the world ... I've done over 2,500 new family visits with Welcome Wagon myself," she laughed, adding that all good things must come to an end and she is looking to new, although yet unknown, adventures. Started in Vancouver in 1930, Welcome Wagon has become a national company that provides free services, coupons and event organization in over 500 communities in Canada. In Cochrane, there are three Welcome Wagon services – one for newcomers to the community, one for new businesses and one for families of new babies. For sponsoring businesses who opt to donate the likes of pens or coupons or cloth shopping bags, Foy said it's a great way to connect with new residents and give back to the growing community. "It's all networking ... and for families that move here, I think the visit is invaluable," she said, explaining that a visit takes 30-40 minutes on average and is no cost to the receiving family. Foy also visits an average of around 60 businesses each year – many of them home-based, who she said have found the service a great way to connect, given their visibility is lower than traditional brick-and-mortar shops or to find out about unique services like Corner Co-Working - the only shared office space locale in town. While she is uncertain where she will wind up next in the community, she will continue her volunteerism in the meantime at St. Mary's Church, as the new president of the Riverview Community Association and continued pet therapy visits to the Bethany Cochrane with her two Bichon/Shih Tzus Daisy and Percy. A retired paralegal, Foy laughs that it was quite the switch in gears for her, but has loved the daily surprises of "never knowing who's going to be on the other side of the door." On Nov. 2, she will begin her new chapter with a day trip to Churchill, Man. to watch the polar bears, with plans for more travel in the near future.
