Jocelyn’s lifetime of giving back, one stitch at a time

Jocelyn’s connection to Lort Smith began in the 1960s, when her family’s first dog, Jamie (a stray she brought home covered in fleas) was in urgent need of veterinary care. Unable to pay the full cost up front, Jocelyn was told by Lort Smith she could pay in instalments. That gesture of compassion planted a seed.

“I always said, when I retire I’ll be doing what I can to help dogs,” she recalls. “That moment stayed with me.”

Jocelyn began her volunteer journey in 1996 and has since done just about everything —from knitting dog coats, blankets and enrichment toys, to handcrafting festive bone and fish-shaped Christmas bags and even button-eared sausage dogs that were a hit with kids and pet lovers alike.

Her creations were sold to raise funds for the hospital, with profits in the thousands during peak years. “Anything that could make a few dollars for the animals, I made it,” says Jocelyn.

Though no longer volunteering onsite due to health and mobility challenges, Jocelyn continues to sew and craft from home, raising money with the support of her community—friends who donate fabric, supplies and funds to help her efforts.

Jocelyn’s story is also one of resilience. A former nurse and cancer survivor, she has powered through breast cancer, two knee replacements, a broken neck and the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic — all without losing her spark or sense of purpose.

When lockdowns restricted visits to Lort Smith, the pharmacy team brought her supplies so she could continue her volunteer work from home.

For Jocelyn, volunteering has always been about more than simply raising money—it’s about being there for animals in need.

“Animals never judge you. They don’t care how you look or what you’ve been through—they just know how to love,” she says. “I do things where I feel help is needed. I feel animals need me.”