Recognition for a lifetime of dedication

Varsity View

Charleswood

When Penny Block began working at Varsity View Community Centre’s nursery school in 1984, there was no way to predict that almost four decades later it would be renamed Penny’s Place in her honour.

The renaming ceremony, which included Block receiving the City of Winnipeg’s Above and Beyond award from the City of Winnipeg, presented by Coun. Evan Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood), took place on Oct. 10.

The event was fast-tracked slightly, as Block was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer four years ago — she was given 18 months to live at the time. She said that her cancer is the only reason she isn’t still putting in hours at the nursery.

“(Working with kids) is what I wanted to do,” she said. “And I’ve enjoyed it … It’s not for money, because we knew the money wasn’t there. And so we did well with what we had.”

Block did a bit of everything at the school (located at 315 Laxdal Rd.), which serves kids aged two to four — looking after the students, organizing schedules and activities, and making the classroom a fun, welcoming environment for young minds.

“I loved it,” she continued. “I can’t even say anything negative. And the staff that I’ve worked with have been amazing, supportive. In the 39 years I was there, I never phoned in one day sick, ever. This is even when I had found out about the cancer four years ago. I’ve never phoned in sick.”

Greg Block, Penny’s husband, said he knew how well she did her job based on interactions when they ran into former students both in and outside Winnipeg.

“When we go anywhere, like if we’re in a store, or if we’ve gone to Grand Forks (N.D.), we run into a kid that she’s had, and they come and run up to her and hug her,” he said. “That’s just proof for me right there that, when somebody says, ‘There’s teacher Penny, there’s teacher Penny!’ … of course, it’s hard to remember everybody, because it’s been 39 years, but she’s pretty good at it.”

Greg added that a lot of nursery school kids eventually brought their own children to the nursery school.

Penny described the honour of the centre being renamed for her as “a little overwhelming, but I appreciate everything that everybody has done for me.”

“We never thought in a million years that this was going to happen,” Greg added. “We were both totally shocked. When I first got an email about it, asking whether she would mind if they changed the name, I actually cried because I couldn’t believe that they were doing such a nice thing for her.”

The Blocks, who live in the area, have two grandchildren, aged six and three. The youngest still attends the nursery school and they pick her up at the end of each day.

“We try to see them as much as possible so that they have as much time with their nana,” Greg said.

Although her cancer is inoperable, Block recently started chemotherapy — she had an appointment following the ceremony — and she said she’s going to keep on fighting.

Her battle added an extra emotional layer to the ceremony, Greg said.

“As life goes on, I’m going to have to drive by that place every day … it’ll always be a good memory, you know what I mean? It’s a little bittersweet, but it’s nice to be recognized, and I’m so glad for her, and so happy for her that they did recognize what she did and all the hard work she put in.”