After his wife died, Bill Cornelssen lost his reason for living. With no remaining family, he was left with little that really mattered to him, nothing to which he could make a commitment, the kind of commitment that gives us a reason to get up in the morning and puts a spring in our step.

That's when he found the Boys and Girls Club, a new family, a family for whom he could make a difference, a family that needed him, a family that gave him a reason for being.

When Bill first approached the Fifth Street Boys and Girls Club, they had no idea that this man who describes himself as, "... just an average retired guy from BC Ferries," would become the largest individual Boys and Girls Club donor in the entire country.

Over the past eleven years Bill has donated more than $110,000 in cash and in-kind contributions plus more than 25,000 volunteer hours -- At $15 an hour (a real bargain considering his skills) this would add up to another $343,200.

Bill also told me that he would be leaving his entire will to the club when he passes on, and although he asked me not to print just how much that might be, I will say that like most of his generation (Bill turned 78 recently) he has been a very good saver.

Enough about money. Bill thrives on his seven day a week schedule - He likes to work weekends so he can do things like painting that might disturb the children during the week. He says his commitment keeps him young.

He has created his own workshop at the club and supplies most of the power tools he needs to build tables, cupboards, chairs, and benches. In short if the children need something that he can build (and he can build just about anything) he does it ... and he pays for all the materials out of his own pocket.

Years ago the Teen Club's entrance was a truck-size garage door, not really an appropriate entrance, so Bill hired contractors to remove the door and build a proper wall, door and windows. When he heard that the Lantzville Club needed a washer and dryer, he went to the store, ordered it, and had it delivered. Last summer when he was asked if he could find a fan for the children's daycare, he checked out the room, realized just how hot it was, and immediately went out and bought them an air conditioner. There are dozens of other similar stories to be told.

At 78 Bill Cornelssen is a role model for seniors. Given that he has asbestosis and other health issues, as well as the fact that he has lost all of his family, you could understand if he had become a bitter, depressed man. Instead he chose to find a way to help others, and in the process gave himself a renewed life.

Not everyone is in a position to give as much as Bill, but he would be the first to tell you that if you give a little of yourself on a regular basis, what you'll get in return will be huge.

If you know a senior that is a little depressed these days, perhaps you should suggest that they drop in and visit Bill for a while and see where he gets his zest for life.

In closing, I don't want to say anything specific just now, but I'd suggest that you keep a close eye and ear on the media around the middle of June when you will see just how much the Boys and Girls Club appreciates the many contributions William E. Cornelssen has given them.