Pauline Smith is retired, 92 years old, and still investing carefully in projects that she believes in. Alert and organized, she has always felt particularly strongly about being involved in, and donating to, charities. She has been contributing to the Foundation for the past 10 years, and since 2010 has donated $143,000. “I give to the CNIB because losing your sight is a handicap that entails tremendous needs,” indicated Ms. Smith, adding that she “will keep giving as long as I am alive.”
In 2018, her donations enabled four young people between 12 and 17 years of age to attend the Lake Joseph Centre for an English immersion camp for a week. Her generosity has had a significant impact on the lives of those young people by giving them the chance to improve their English, develop their sense of independence, and make new friends while engaging in outdoor activities in an adapted environment.
Ms. Smith herself suffers from age-related macular degeneration, and has lost a lot of her vision since January 2019. She has started using the CNIB’s services, namely the iPhone training and audio books. “As I lose my vision due to age-related macular degeneration, I cannot imagine not having an iPhone, without which I could not keep going about my day-to-day activities,” indicates Ms. Smith, adding that her iPhone enables her to “read, write and receive emails and text messages, listen to the radio, use Siri and read the Globe and Mail.”
Originally from Nova Scotia, with a degree in education from McGill University, Pauline Smith dedicated her career to helping children with learning difficulties. She herself has two children, and her sense of commitment is astounding.
Without a doubt, Pauline Smith is a remarkably generous woman, and in many ways is helping the CNIB Foundation change what it means to be blind today.