Donna believes that life is an adventure. And so, in 2008, following the death of her husband, she took a trip to Egypt on her own. "I went there for 10 days and it was such a great experience. It really was a trip of a lifetime. I got to see the great pyramids and lots of camels. The one thing is that it is difficult to get information out from there so I felt a little isolated but I loved going there."

Born in Matheson, Ontario, 45 minutes north of Timmins, Donna came to Lindsay 10 years ago to be closer to her two daughters, two grandchildren and six great grandchildren. She was a bookkeeper and accounting assistant by trade so she has a head for numbers. "If I could, I would be working right now,"she says.

Three years ago, she came to Caressant Care Lindsay because of her experiencing too many falls and the realization that she could no linger live safely on her own. And though the transition was difficult at first, she now considers Caressant Care her home. One of her favourite activities is playing bingo. "I won a dollar. It may not seem like much but for me it is like a badge of honour - to see who is the best - so it is not about the money."

She also likes that staff listen to her when she has a problem.

"The staff are fantastic and treat me like I am one of them. It's not so bad being here having lived a good life. The ladies are so good to me I would be lost without them."

But Donna also likes to look out for her fellow residents too. "I want to help people. My dad taught me that."