Hello everyone! My name is Marilyn Kelly. I am fairly new to the town of Merritt, having moved here from the coast in July of 2021. My husband and I decided to retire and move from the big city to a more peaceful lifestyle here in Merritt. Of course we never seem to take the easy route to anything. Within two weeks of my final day of work we packed up our condo. I might add during the sweltering heat of a heat dome, and with a torn ligament in my foot. We arrived in Merritt just as the wildfires started and several months later, a devastating flood. All the while the pandemic still had its grip on everything.
Giving up everything you know and leaving your family and friends behind to start fresh somewhere new is never easy. This was going to be another one of life’s big adventures, along with adjusting to not having our lives run by an alarm clock and a Monday to Friday routine. Freedom to do as you please. Now to make use of this free time.
The next challenge would be getting out there and meeting new people, especially with all that the town was still dealing with. It’s so much easier to meet people through work and your children. So when it was mentioned to me that I should consider volunteering at The Nicola Valley Arts Council it seemed like a good fit with my love of arts and crafts. I have been doing arts and crafts, in one form or another, most of my life! I was introduced to the President, Mischelle, who is a lovely lady - energetic, passionate, full of ideas, and very convincing. So before I knew it I was a new volunteer. I haven’t regretted it for a moment. I have never met such a wonderful group of people who are so dedicated and passionate about the arts in Merritt. So if you are new to town, are an artist, or just a lover of art (like myself), think about volunteering at the NVCAC. It is a great community of people.