Molly Robinson, who was the driving force behind the founding of the YWCA of Thompson, starting in 1967 while she was operating a restaurant here, died Aug. 14 at Gimli Community Health Centre at the age of 82 after a long struggle with heart disease. Known affectionately to friends and family as "Big Mol," her funeral is to be held Aug. 20 at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church on 7th Avenue in Gimli, and will be followed by a reception and celebration of her life.
Her motto was "'nothing is impossible." On March 6, 1998, the Manitoba Progressive Conservative Premier Gary Filmon noted, "When one honours individuals like Molly Robinson, it becomes a difficult task to fully capture the time and effort this distinguished woman has given to Manitoba, and in particular to Manitoba's North. She set benchmarks in volunteerism and community spirit that will not soon be surpassed. All Manitobans applaud her efforts and accomplishments."
Robinson was born in Halifax on May 21, 1931. Two daughters, Jenny Robinson and Debra Ison, live in Nelson, British Columbia, a daughter, Julie Robinson, lives in Whitehorse in the Yukon, and a son, Lawrence Robinson, lives in Winnipeg.
Robinson also served two terms as a Thompson city councillor between 1983 and 1989 under councils led by mayor Don MacLean in the 1980s. She also served on the Manitoba Human Rights Commission as a director and as vice- chair.
Robinson had a very pragmatic motive in getting the YWCA of Thompson off the ground in the late 1960s and early 1970s. "We couldn't get residences for our employees," she told Hari Dimitrakopoulou-Ashton, as reported in her article "Women Entrepreneurs in the North," published in the academic journal Canadian Woman Studies in 1994. "I decided to send a brief to the YWCA of Canada on how to start a residence for women." Sixty women attended the first meeting, Dimitrakopoulou-Ashton wrote, and by 1972 they had raised $50,000.
Robinson would go onto serve as executive director of the YWCA of Thompson from 1971 until her retirement in 1996, when she moved to Gimli.
INCO, donated a former residence and the YWCA was in full operation. Robinson told Dimitrakopoulou-Ashton it was important to establish credibility. "As in any business you have to prove yourself to people in the community. You have to show that you are viable. You have to start of slow not wanting every thing right away. When you don't businesses fail."
The YWCA of Thompson is a registered non-profit charitable organization and was officially incorporated in August 1970. In the early years, the YWCA was primarily a medical receiving home for Northern women and children, however, in the 1980s the organization began to offer community based programs consisting of education and life skills training for women re-entering the workforce. In 2007 it revised its policy allowing men to find shelter within its residence.
Molly Robinson was also co-winner of CBC North Country's Christmas story contest in 1979 and had her winning entry taped for broadcast on the program.
With the development of the new Burntwood South subdivision the City of Thompson felt a need for new street names, and council decided to use the opportunity to honour some long time residents who had made a significant contribution to the city, including Robinson, Hector Despins, Joan Hambley, Ken MacMaster and Cec Smith. Robinson Way became official in a ceremony on Sept. 26, 1997 at City Hall.
A dedicated volunteer, Robinson served on a number of community boards in Thompson and Gimli. She was the president of the Thompson Chamber of Commerce, Nickel Days, the Northern Manitoba Recreation Association and the Manitoba Winter Games and the Gimli Art Club. Robinson was a life-long painter.
She received many awards for her commitment to community service including the Centennial Medal, the 50th Anniversary Medal of Queen Elizabeth, the Order of the Buffalo, and the Governor General's Medal for Excellence in Public Administration and was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation.
