Whether at work or in her community, Patsy feels the most joy when she is helping people and giving back.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in St. John’s and my family moved to Torbay when I was 12. Now my husband and I call Torbay our home and we love being involved in the amazing community here. I have four children and six grandchildren – some who live here and some who live away, and all who I love to see every chance I get.

Describe your role here at Hydro.

I am a Human Resources Assistant and I split my time working between our Human Resources Department, primarily with our Pensions and Benefits team, and our Safety and Health Department. I’m responsible for a lot of clerical work, which means I have my hands in a lot, but I love it and have so much fun working with these teams.

What is your favourite thing about your work?

One of my favourite parts of my role over the years has been being a part of the recruitment process – I would get new employees set up in our systems and create their ID badge. I always loved meeting new people as they started with our company and getting the opportunity to welcome them to Hydro. One of the more rewarding aspects of my job is my work with Benefits, assisting beneficiaries of Hydro retirees with claims and insurances. I know
they need someone who is going to listen and help them do what’s best, and I’m glad to be a comforting shoulder for them to lean on throughout this process.

What made you want to come to work at Hydro?

I used to work for the school board and had my own bookkeeping business as well. By the time 2013 rolled around, I was semi-retired with a handful of bookkeeping clients. I came to Hydro to fill in for someone on sick leave for six weeks but I loved the work and people here so much that it made me realize I really wanted to go back to work. When another position opened up, I jumped at the chance to come back and I’ve been here now almost 11 years.
My only regret is that I didn’t discover this place sooner – I wish I could have spent more time here. It’s a great place to work, the people are fantastic and the opportunities, especially for a younger person, are unbelievable.

Is there any particular part of life at Hydro that’s especially important to you?

I love getting out and helping in our communities in any way that I can, and being part of an organization that wholeheartedly supports that is so amazing to me. I’ve been able to be involved in so many initiatives throughout my time here including volunteering with Jimmy Pratt, Ronald McDonald House and Kids Eat Smart. I also love our annual Acts of Kindness Week and take every opportunity to get involved with the many initiatives that are always happening throughout that week. Hydro also has an amazing Employee Matching Program which helped us double our donation to SPAN earlier this year when myself and a group of
employees raised $1,200 through a dessert raffle at Hydro Place to support single parents in our region.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

My favourite way to spend my time outside of work is to get involved in my community however I can, especially when I can do that with my children and grandchildren. One of the fun things I did recently with two of my granddaughters was a watercolour class at the Torbay History House Museum – they have so many great art-focused programs.

I’m also a founding member of the Torbay Folk Arts Council (TFAC) so my husband and I volunteer at a number of TFAC events, shows and fundraisers focusing on Arts and Heritage in the region. One of my favourite events is the Folk Night at our local café which happens every Thursday, encouraging people who would often never sing outside their living room, to sing in public – and I’m one of them! I never thought I’d perform in front of people but as the jitters
ebbed away I’ve found myself enjoying singing on stage with my bodhran. I’ve even joined the TFAC Regional Choral Group for all ages and started taking accordion lessons. With TFAC it’s always just a positive experience and I love being a part of creating this community hub and bringing people together. It definitely keeps me busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.