Cindy Osip has dedicated her life to helping people. She's worked as a nurse, as the program manager with RCMP Victim Services and now she works at the Quesnel Tillicum Society Native Friendship Centre answering phones and helping people access services.
"It took me 40 years to finally find the job I really love," she said. "This is it. Answering phones and working with probably one of the most amazing groups of people you'll ever know."
Osip said after she retired, she was roped into filling in and answering phones and didn't look back. She said being retired and not having the pressure to work while getting to come in and work with people she deeply respects has made her current job a true joy.
Through laughter and smiles, she recalled being asked to make a cake for an important person coming to visit the Friendship Centre on the same day as her birthday.
"Well, I do like to bake so I'm getting quite concerned because I'm thinking 'someone very important is coming and oh my gosh I have to make this cake pretty spectacular,'" she said. Osip made a lovely chocolate cake with chocolate icing. "And 2 p.m. comes and they're gonna sing happy birthday and give me my card and guess what comes out of the fridge? The cake I made."
Osip spent decades helping people. When she moved to Quesnel 20 years ago she worked as a nurse, one of the best moments she said is helping a child be born. But she also said holding someone's hand as they pass away is deeply meaningful.
"When you're with that person when they take their final breath you need to view that as you've just received the biggest privilege ever," Osip said. She recalled going into patient's rooms at their end of her shift to say goodnight and they would grasp her hand and she would stay with them until they passed. She said being chosen as the last person someone interacts with is a fond moment for her despite it being a sad occasion.
She worked with victim's services in Quesnel for 15 years where she worked to build and fund programs like the healthy relationship program which deals with abuse in relationships. Osip said she still runs the program for people from time to time when others aren't available and someone needs to step in.
Another part of her job was to support people who were, and loved ones of, victims of crime.
"Lots of moral support, walk them through the stages and get them set up with grief counselling, help them go to the funeral home and set up arrangements," she said. Osip couldn't even guess how many people she has helped over her lifelong commitment to helping others.
"I believe it's a calling. I believe you just feel something and I believe whoever it is blesses you with that calling and sends you onto that path," she said. "I think once you receive that calling within you, that that's where you need to be, you need to be in an industry that helps people. I don't think there's any getting away from it."
She said it's nice to know that even after she retired she can see people who she helped throughout her career and know she made their life easier because of the work she did. In spite of that, the work she did that helped so many took a toll on her.
"It was probably a good year before I could actually tune out sirens. In the old days, a siren meant my cell phone was going to probably ring and I would have to go and deliver some hard news or help somebody out. So it took a year to actually get that out of my brain."
Osip said her move to Quesnel was one of the best choices she ever made. Her favourite thing about the city?
"Everything," she said. "That's all I can say is everything," Osip said Quesnel offers endless activities for her and her family and joked that she'd love to be bored in Quesnel but it's impossible.
"Good things happen here. There's good groups and there's good camaraderie for different things and you can join anything and have a good time."
She's waiting for one of her close friends to retire so they can travel to places like Ireland and Mexico and be "two old gals out travelling and having fun."
Osip is excited for the upcoming Billy Barker Days where she's going to grab her lawn chair, get some deep fried pickles and enjoy the local talent.