When two women from her Legion Branch were recently widowed in 1979, Una Golding felt a familiar tug — a quiet but insistent call to help.
She answered it the way she always had: by stepping forward. Along with friends Vera and Beulah, Una signed up as a Meals on Wheels volunteer after seeing an ad in the newspaper. She began delivering meals on the first and third Tuesday of every month — a rhythm that would carry her through the next four decades.
“I liked getting out of the house,” she laughs. “And I liked knowing I was doing something good for someone.” She remembers one client who always seemed to be cooking a meal for her son when they arrived. “What was the point?” Una joked. But she kept going, because that’s what Una does.
Over the years, she delivered meals alongside her husband Alan and their small dog Benjie, who became a beloved fixture on their route. “The clients loved him,” she says with a smile. Their car, their dog, and their dependable presence became something clients looked forward to.
Una’s commitment to service stretches far beyond Meals on Wheels. She and Alan both served in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War. After marrying, they spent 29 years moving from base to base, including an overseas posting in Cold War–era West Germany. Wherever they landed, they built community.
When Alan retired, they made Peterborough their permanent home — drawn in by friends they had met during their time in the military. In Peterborough, they poured their energy into local causes. Una served as President of the Meals on Wheels Board from 1985 to 1987. She also organized the Legion’s annual seniors’ picnic, helped with luncheons and events, and was a constant presence wherever help was needed.
Una continued delivering meals until the COVID-19 pandemic paused her service. Now nearing 99, she continues to live independently and remains a shining example of what it means to show up — again and again — for your community.
