It really is just a matter of word of mouth. That’s about it. One woman talking to another woman and one name getting to one woman and then that woman is given another name and it just keeps going around and around your name and that’s it.

NEWFOUNDLAND LADIES COME FROM WHERE?

From Stephanville and Jeffries, CodRoy Valley, Cape Ray, Port aux Basques, Isle aux Mort, Rose Blanche, LePoile, even as far as Burgeo they’re coming up from Burgeo.

MORE AND MORE? THIS IS A GROWING EXPORT?

It is, it is yeah.

HOW MANY NEWFOUNDLAND LADIES DO YOU FIGURE?

I’d say there’s at least three hundred if not more.

REALLY?

Yeah that are doing homecare say from North Sydney up to Halifax.

THAT IS QUITE A TRIP TO WORK THOUGH.

Yeah.

THAT FERRY – THAT’S WHAT, SEVEN HOURS AND YOU’VE BEEN STUCK ON IT FOR MORE THAN SEVEN HOURS SOMETIMES.

Yes, we’ve been stuck on there a couple of times. I was stuck on there for two days.

TWO DAYS.

Yeah and off of Port of Bass once. I couldn’t get in. It was Christmas Eve and in North Sydney we were stuck in there for two days and couldn’t get in. Actually, we were so close to the wharf you could see the wharf where we were at but it was so much (unclear) in by the wharf we couldn’t get in. We had to go hang there for two days.

SO HOW DID THIS START? HOW DID YOU KNOW YOU AND ALL THOSE OTHER LADIES HAD IT IN YOU TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK AND SUCCEED THE WAY YOU HAVE?

I actually, I started with my sister. She had a son and he had Muscular Dystrophy and before she even got any help with him, I used to go over and help her to put him to bed every night because her husband used to sail on the great lakes then. From there she got a few hours a week and she asked me if I was interested because her son really knew me and everything and that’s how it all started from there.

I was working with him then for I don’t know, maybe seven or eight years before he passed away.

YOU THOUGHT THIS IS SOMETHING FOR YOU TO DO?

Yes.

I WAS WONDERING WHY IS IT NEWFOUNDLAND LADIES HAVE THIS REPUTATION AS BEING EXCEPTIONAL IN HOMECARE, IN GIVING CARE?

Really, it’s just a thing I guess.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOU?

I don’t know. I’m just a kind person or I try to be, kind and friendly; I try to be anyway. Hopefully I do a good job at it.

WHY IS THIS COMMUNITY SO GUARDED? WHY ARE THE NEWFOUNDLAND LADIES SO GUARDED? I MEAN NOBODY IN ROSE BLANCHE WANTED TO EVEN TALK TO US.

I don’t know. Like I say maybe if I was working private or whatever, maybe I wouldn’t want to talk either but it’s different when I’m working for a company. Everything is all different. Not everyone is willing to get out there and talk about the homecare workers. I think it’s nice to get the word around. Let everyone see what’s going on.

THERE’S CLEARLY A NEED. MORE THAN ONE PERSON HAS TOLD ME HOW THE NEED IS GREAT. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO HOMECARE. I’M SURE NOT JUST IN NOVA SCOTIA BUT EVERYWHERE. IT FILLS TWO NEEDS. THERE’S A NEED HERE AND THERE’S CLEARLY A NEED THE WAY YOU DESCRIBE IT BACK HOME.

Yeah.

THIS IS A GOOD MARRIAGE.

Yeah, it is yeah. Like I say, I wish the word would get out around that there is women out there willing to do what they can and maybe some men, I don’t know.

YOU THINK MEN?

Anything is possible.

RIGHT. THERE’S GOT TO BE A NEWFOUNDLAND EXPRESSION FOR THIS RIGHT? WHEN PIGS FLY?

Yeah, when pigs fly. (laughter)