A 75th birthday, happily with strings attached
Notes from the violin filled the air, including the spaces between lawn chairs, at Helen Heenan’s 75th birthday party Friday afternoon in Esquimalt’s Memorial Park.
A couple waltzed under the oak trees as Ukranian violinist Tatiana Kostour, a graduate of the Kiev Conservatory of Music, performed a birthday concert for Heenan.
Guests at the pandemic party began clapping along to the rousing Eastern European folk song, laughing and dancing — separately, of course.
Five years ago, Heenan celebrated her 70th birthday with her family in Victoria.
This year, with the threat of the deadly COVID-19 virus, it seemed there would be no celebration and no one to celebrate with.
“And I just didn’t buy into that. I figured somehow things would work out right. I stayed positive. Then look at what happened.”
Heenan loves classical music, so much so that she moved from Nanaimo to Victoria last year to attend the symphony.
When her daughter told her about Kostour, who teaches at the Victoria Conservatory, Heenan connected with her through email.
“I just liked her right from the beginning. I would never have thought about getting in touch with anybody, but a friend said you’ve got to let somebody know about your birthday because this is really special.
Guests at the party included friends Heenan plays mahjong with, others she plays cards with and new friends she met the other day when she got chatting with some women at Saxe Point.
“And that’s Sally, who is one of my absolutely best friends and she invited a couple of people,” said Heenan.
“It’s just very, very sweet because I have no family other than my kids and my grandkids and they’re in Toronto, Pemberton and Calgary. “This is family.” Memorial Park was perfect for the small concert, since people could keep their distance and not worry about others walking through, she said.
“I feel fantastic,” said Heenan. “I’ve got my grandchildren and I’m in good health.
“I’m just so grateful for absolutely every minute and this is the most beautiful place to live in the whole world.”