If you know my parents then you know that they give more than they have. Having spent their whole lives with very little they have nevertheless always given to those who have less. The most generous people, they literally give away the clothes off their backs and food from their table. They do weekly groceries for neighbours in need and miss work to care for the church. Everyone’s first call in an emergency, they will drop everything to help a friend or stranger in need.

After a lifetime of supporting others, Helen is retiring in January. She and Jeremy have never left Canada together, despite spending their whole lives imagining fantastic vacations.

As a retirement gift we would like to send them to Paris and Séguret in southern France. They could drink wine, look at art, and Jeremy could complain about the lack of good whiskey while humming Look Down from Les Mis. Most of all they could spend a week being taken care of, rather than taking care of everyone around them.

If we aren’t able to send them to France we would use this money for a smaller trip, or a gift to make their lives more manageable (like a dishwasher). The list of donors will be shared with them so they can say thank you.

We’d like to keep this secret from them for now, revealing the surprise at the epic retirement bash we’re planning to throw.