Recently, I lost a dear friend, Linda Light, a woman I knew through her participation and her work with the West Kits Residents Association (WKRA) and the Coalition of Vancouver Neighbourhoods (CVN). For me, it was quite a shock, as I had met with her only a few weeks prior to her passing. She had said she was feeling a little off, but I didn't suspect anything serious.
She and I had worked together in the WKRA when she lived in Kits, then the Coalition. As I had little experience leading any organization, she was a kind of mentor to me, someone whose advice I sought, someone also to bounce ideas off of, to vent to on occasion. It didn't hurt that she was a policy wonk with government experience, and a very good writer as well. When it came time for the producing of our Principles and Goals document, her contributions were invaluable, both in conciseness and clarity of message. WE spent many a long evening on the phone, hammering away at the writing, trying to get it just right.
She was brilliant, kind, compassionate, and proud of her two daughters and most of all, her grandkids. She was my good friend and colleague, and I do and will miss her.