Richardsons have no plans to quit volunteering

By Gayle Low for the LETHBRIDGE HERALD on April 17, 2024.

Submitted photo - Iris and Ted Richardson have been volunteering for nearly 30 years since they retired from running Lakeview Drugs.

In 1956 while attending the University of Alberta in the Faculty of Pharmacy, Ted Richardson, from Edmonton, fell in love with a classmate named Iris Kirk, and in June they will celebrate their 66th wedding anniversary!

Following their 1957 graduation they moved to Iris’s hometown of Lethbridge and in 1963 opened Lakeview Drugs, which was located on Mayor Magrath Drive and 10th Avenue.

In 1985 they closed Lakeview Drugs, and moved a block south to the new Lakeview Value Drug Mart. For 31 years, hand in hand, Ted and Iris served the citizens of Lethbridge filling thousands of prescriptions.

Retired in 1994, and with both their son Doug and daughter Paddy raised, they felt they wanted to give back to the community and volunteer, and so for over 29 years, every week Ted and Iris have been doing just that – they have been serving willingly and so cheerfully at the Interfaith Food Bank.

Ted enjoys assisting creating food hampers, and Iris is a whiz at welcoming and recording client visits.

These two remarkable seniors. Ted and Iris Richardson love their service, and their interaction with members of our wonderful community. Celebrating their birthdays this year, Ted (93 in December) and Iris (90 in June), they have no plans for retiring from their volunteering.

When questioned why volunteer, Ted quipped “when you have nothing to do,you just vegetate and die!”

Anyone interested in Southern Alberta Volunteer opportunities can visit: http://www.volunteerlethbridge.com or http://www.JustServe.org