Sheila’s Kits House Journey
For more than a century, Sheila Kirkby’s family has been quietly woven into the fabric of Vancouver. Her grandfather was born at home in 1890 at the corner of Seymour and Drake Streets, her grandmother lived at 249 Keefer Street in 1911, and her parents met at Templeton Junior High before having their wedding photos taken at Yucho Chow studio in 1951. For Sheila, the city has never just been a backdrop - it’s been a living, breathing part of her family’s story.
In 1995, Sheila and her husband moved to Kitsilano as newlyweds, beginning a new chapter in a familiar city. Soon after moving to her new community, she was connected to Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, entirely by chance. She had forgotten her keys and needed somewhere to sit and wait. What started as a small moment of inconvenience became the beginning of a rich and ongoing connection with Kits House.
Soon after settling in, Sheila and her family began attending the monthly community potlucks and over the years, the potlucks evolved - at times featuring guest speakers, at others becoming more informal and conversational. Even when her daughter was the only child at the table, Sheila valued the chance to introduce her to different cultures and foods. Today, those potlucks continue to thrive, drawing 30 to 40 people each month, now with a “Buy Nothing” exchange table and a space set aside for guests who prefer to “Eat Fast and Play Board Games.”
Sheila’s involvement deepened when she began volunteering at the Kits House front desk. At the time, she didn’t have internet access at home, so the ability to use a computer during her weekly shift was a welcomed perk. She sometimes found herself helping with the Tuesday Seniors Lunch program, a weekly tradition that continues to this day, offering a warm meal and a warm welcome for just $7.
Looking back on her early years at Kits House, Sheila recently came across something she had written for the newsletter over a decade ago, describing one of her favourite experiences:
“Kits House used to organize a Family Camp at Camp Sasamat, run by the Association of Neighbourhood Houses on Sasamat Lake. Family Camp became a highlight of our early summer. My husband and I had fond memories of attending camp as children and wanted to share that with our daughter. Anna was two-and-a-half the first time we went to Family Camp and still slept in the travel crib. She loved all the attention from the big girls (the 6–10-year-olds), and I loved a weekend without meal preparation!”
Family Camp quickly became a treasured tradition and the following year, Sheila and her family brought along 12 friends. In another summer, she led a sing-along to welcome newcomer families and introduce them to classic Canadian camp songs like “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall.”
Another standout memory is the Licensed Child-Minding program:
“We’ve spent lots of time in programs through Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, but the one that is dearest to my heart is the Licensed Child Minding. When my daughter was two, she started in the licensed child minding [one morning a week] because I wanted her, as an only child, to have a chance to spend time with other children away from me, but I wanted it to be in a supervised, trained, licensed setting. She had a wonderful time, and it was a great first experience for both of us.”
Over the years, Sheila continued to return to Kits House volunteering when and where she could. She especially appreciated being able to contribute just half a block from her home. Today, she serves on the Neighbourhood Small Grants Committee for Vancouver’s West Side, participating in the Westside Literacy Hub, hosting English Conversation Circles, and still helping with clean-up after Seniors Lunch. She’s often at Kits House two or three times a week.
What stands out most for Sheila is the sense of continuity and connection. Kits House isn’t just a service provider - it’s a community anchor. Volunteers return again-and-again, creating a space where people are truly known and genuinely valued. Whether supporting food security, organizing playtime for children, helping seniors with art, or quietly keeping the office running, the work at Kits House is grounded in care and mutual respect.
For Sheila Kirkby, Kits House has transformed alongside her. It has been a place of welcome, growth, and rootedness - for her, for her family, and for the community she continues to serve. It’s where her personal story meets a larger one of connection, belonging, and collective transformation.
