Bonnie Bennett - a volunteer, tireless worker

I read about Bonnie Bennett’s passing on Facebook Friday night. I was shocked that such a fixture of the Havre community had died so suddenly. I had seen Bonnie Wednesday when she had come into the Havre Daily News office to purchase a newspaper.

Over the last 15 years, I probably assisted Bonnie with that same transaction hundreds of times. In addition, she would come into the newspaper looking for extra copies when she was mentioned in the paper for her volunteer work around town.

I still remember when we wrote a feature article about Bonnie for our quarterly “Living” magazine. Bonnie requested as many copies of the magazine as we could provide her so she could share the article with family and friends. Bonnie never met a stranger. She was always friendly and quick with a compliment. While mental disabilities prevented Bonnie from working a traditional job, she was a tireless worker volunteering for many community organizations including the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, Salvation Army, the Eagles’ Club, the American Legion Auxiliary, 4-H, American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, and the annual Havre Pride cleanup. The countless hours that Bonnie devoted to local community organizations helped change Havre for the better.

People weren’t always kind to Bonnie. I remember helping her write a letter to the editor thanking people who had supported her efforts to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. She had recounted to me how some individuals had complained to her that she was boasting about how much money she had raised. She expressed her frustration that her motives for volunteering had been questioned. Anyone who knew Bonnie knows she didn’t volunteer for the glory; she volunteered because she honestly believed it was the right thing to do.

Bonnie sometimes had bad days, but she persevered and kept active with her volunteer work right up until her unexpected death. During one of her last visits to the Havre Daily News, she talked to a co-worker of mine about renewing her membership with the Boy Scouts of America so she could continue to volunteer with that organization.

Bonnie gave tirelessly of herself and never expected much in return. She did, however, enjoy wearing the Relay for Life shirts that she earned each year for participating in the annual fundraising walk. Christmas just won’t be the same without Bonnie there to ring the bells for the Salvation Army.

Bonnie Bennett’s death is a huge loss for the community of Havre, but she leaves a lasting legacy of community service that will never be forgotten. Bonnie Bennett’s life demonstrates that one person can make a huge difference. I feel honored to have known her and hope others in our community will be inspired by her volunteerism to continue to work to make Havre a better place for future generations.

(Rhonda Petersen is circulation office manager for the Havre Daily News.)