There's no doubt that the people who are happiest in retirement are those who are able to focus on doing something they have always loved to do, especially if they can use the product of their efforts to make a difference for others.

Rose McCulley is one of those happy people.

A farm girl from Nova Scotia, Rose has always loved to bake for her family or pretty much anyone else who came into her life.

She especially loves baking apple pies and now she has a secret recipe.

The recipe came about years ago when she proudly offered her youngest son a home baked apple pie and a glass of milk when he came home from school. As he finished, he told her that her pie was a little dry and asked if she wouldn't mind baking her next one with a can of apple pie filling from the grocery store.

That did it!

The secret recipe was soon developed and people have been raving about it ever since.

In 1990 Rose spent a year volunteering on the emergency line for the Women's Sexual Assault Centre and became strongly committed to helping these women, especially those who could not afford counselling.

At the end of her volunteer commitment, she happened to leave her workplace by a different door than usual and came across an apple tree an apple tree she had never noticed before with its branches almost touching the ground because it was so heavily laden with fruit

It turned out to be an extremely rare Gloria Mundi tree whose fruit is much larger and harder than an average apple - Just perfect for making apple pies she thought.

That evening she approached her husband, Jim, with an idea. Did he think the people at his work would buy her apple pies if they knew the proceeds would be used to support Women's Sexual Assault Centre?

When he came home the next day with an order for 95 pies, she says she didn't know whether to let him in or push him back out the door.

Well she didn't push him out, and quicker than you can say, "apple what?" the 95 pies, all featuring her secret recipe,were ready and her fundraising efforts began

Twelve years later, at which time she and Jim moved to Nanaimo, she had raised over $17,000 for the Women's Sexual Assault Centre through her special apple pies.

By the way, to date Rose has only been able to find two Gloria Mundi apple trees on the entire Island. The one she first found in Victoria, and this year she found one in Duncan.

In both cases the owners have given her exclusive rights to harvest the trees as long as they own the property.

After moving to Nanaimo, it only took a few months for Rose to find Family Life and their Family Advancement Program, which helps families develop the skills and strategies needed to deal with extraordinary family challenges.

With that connection, she was back in the apple pie fundraising business with support from Thrifty's and North Douglas Distributing who provide special bags and pie tins.

The apple season is almost over so you are probably too late to get one of Rose's pies this year, but if you play your cards right next year, you just might get her very secret recipe as well as a pie or two; however, there's a catch.

She gives the recipe only to those who come to her home and volunteer to peel and prepare the apples.

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Do you have some time to spare? What do you love doing? How could you do that thing you love to do and help others at the same time?

These are questions worthy of serious consideration.