Doris Jacobi: A Lifetime of Service

by Michael Hennig, Communications Coordinator, Good Samaritan Head Office

Doris Jacobi is certainly no stranger to staff and residents of the Good Samaritan Dr. Gerald Zetter Care Centre. As one of the care home’s longtime residents, Doris has been a model resident, a fixture at care home events, a source of warmth and kindness, and a valued member of the Zetter community. For all she brings to the care home today, however, her embodiment of the Good Samaritan values and spirit extends across an entire lifetime.

Beginning in the mid-1950s, Doris became a volunteer for The Good Samaritan Society, working tirelessly to get our then-fledgling organization up and running. She began volunteering shortly after the formation of the Good Samaritan Women’s Auxiliary, a group dedicated to helping make the brand-new Good Samaritan Hospital “a home for the old people, a place they would love and where they would lead pleasant and useful lives and achieve much happiness.” Alongside other members of the Auxiliary, Doris contributed immensely in every way that she could, whether it was sewing bedding and other items for the hospital, canvassing for donations in churches and across Edmonton, or even organizing yearly spring teas that attracted the likes of Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole and other prominent figures. She was also instrumental in archiving and preserving the organization’s history, assisting J. Marilyn Scott in gathering information for Living the Parable: The First Fifty Years of the Good Samaritan Society. After nearly 60 years of dedicated service across the organization, Doris became a resident of the Dr. Gerald Zetter Care Centre, at last making the place she spent countless hours over the decades her home.

In addition to her lifetime involvement with Good Samaritan, Doris Jacobi has used her passion and dedication to have a positive impact across other areas and organizations. In particular, Doris has been a tireless advocate for the Connemara Pony throughout her lifetime, having recently received the Michael O’Malley Award from the International Connemara Pony Society this past November. The prestigious award honours her 40 years as a breeder, as well as her lifelong commitment to promoting of the breed across the globe. The award added to a long list of accolades for Doris; she is a founding member of both the Alberta Carriage Driving Association and the Edmonton Area Alberta Dressage Association, an Honourary Life Member and Examiner Emeritus of the Canadian Pony Club, and the first breeder to bring Connemara ponies to Alberta. Just as with Good Samaritan, Doris enriched the equestrian community with her expertise and willingness to lend a helping hand to all who asked.

Since its inception in 1949, Good Samaritan has existed because of the unwavering dedication of its volunteers. It is truly inspiring to see Doris’ lifelong passion for giving back benefit not only our organization, but also other worthwhile causes in their communities. For her entire life, Doris has embodied what it means to be a Good Samaritan, and is a shining example of the impact we all hope to achieve through our work and daily lives.

 

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of the Journey. Read this and other issues of the Journey here, or sign up to be the first to receive the Journey online or by mail.