Helen has always had a knack for bringing people together. A skill put to the test after she made the move from her hometown of Edmonton to Vancouver in 1980. Finding herself in a new city, she sought a place she could connect with and feel embedded in the community. “I felt like I didn’t feel like part of the community,” she explains over a video call from her Port Moody home. “But then I joined some of the civic communities, and I got to meet more people. I really just loved that. I couldn’t stop doing that.” And she hasn’t. Since then, Helen has made a name for herself in Port Moody (a place she has called home for the last 40 years with her husband, Rainer)—offering her time and expertise at various art events like Art Shuffle and Quick Flick Challenge.

But her greatest act as a community builder has to be as the co-owner of the former Gallery Bistro, which she opened with Rainer. For many years it was a cultural hub in Port Moody, best known for its Monday night Jazz Jams, open mic nights, and the global musicians that graced their stage. From an electronic violinist to bluegrass groups to Latin-inspired rhythms, all music was welcome.

The bistro’s popularity as a music hot spot grew—almost accidentally—thanks to a musically connected employee and the bistro’s reputation among artists for being generous and kind. While not a musician herself, Helen has always appreciated a good tune. She says, “Various arts appeal to people in different ways. With music, you can really feel it.” Unsurprisingly, her work at the bistro allowed people (herself included) to discover new genres of music, connect artists with music lovers, and provide a nurturing space for up-and-coming musicians.

After a tragic fire in 2019 forced the bistro’s doors shut, the community builder saw the very people she helped bring together come to support her and Rainer. In their time of need, artists and customers (now good friends) banded together to find new venues for concerts already booked, with some even opening the doors of their homes to host. Helen and Rainer poured their heart into the bistro’s community, and the way people showed up to help them is proof of it.

Even though the Gallery Bistro is gone, the music still lives on. Always looking for new ways to get involved, Helen now spends her time with friends she met through the bistro, organizing monthly concerts for Port Moody’s Inlet Music Concert Series and supporting young creatives she’s helped through her work. Helen’s commitment to organizing and sharing is a testament to her dedication to uplifting the individuals in her community and beyond. Building a community means caring for a community—and Helen cares. “To feel like you’ve made a difference to somebody in what they ended up doing,” Helen proudly says, “It feels pretty good.”

As for words of wisdom for younger people looking to be more involved in their community, she simply says, “Figure out what you want to do and just take a chance.”