Hishon found satisfaction in helping others
Donny Hishon, of Kitchener Born: July 6, 1943, in Kitchener Died: Sept. 30, 2021, of complications from infection
It was a miserable winter day when Donny Hishon decided to stick to his promise and drive a young mother to see her daughter’s Christmas school play.
This was not going to be a simple trip. The woman was incarcerated at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener. Her daughter’s school was in Oshawa, and Highway 401 in bad weather is not for the meek. Donny, a volunteer with the institution, arrived at the concert on time, and for at least an hour or so, the mother could bask in the joy of watching her child on stage, feeling like she was an involved parent and not one living in a cell, hours away.
Donny could have said no to the trip, but on that day and so many others throughout the more than 17 years he volunteered at the prison, he lived up to his commitment. For those selfless acts of caring, Donny was named Senior of the Year for the City of Kitchener in 2021. He was also awarded the prestigious Ontario Senior Achievement Award from the Province of Ontario.
This desire to support his community and those in need of help started decades earlier when Donny was a teen growing up in Kitchener, one of seven kids. Donny was born July 6, 1943, the son of Thomas and Beatrice Hishon. His father had been severely injured in a construction accident but, through determination, he learned to walk and drive a car again. Donny inherited that determination and, with his love of hot rods, he helped found the Highwaymen Car Club in 1961.
Donny and his friends were too young to join the established local clubs, so they
> LIFETIMES
formed their own, meeting in the Hishon’s basement. Other than a love of cars, these boys had another agenda — to change the stereotype of hyped-up teenage boys driving hyped-up cars.
The boys created their own roadside assistance program, stopping when they spotted stranded drivers. They would carry extra gas and water, whatever the driver needed. The boys, particularly Donny, didn’t stop there. Proceeds from the club’s annual Graffiti Car Show were donated to what is today known as Make-A-Wish Canada. Other events held throughout the year also resulted in funds donated to various charities.
The club’s good works earned it a place in the Canadian Street Rodding Hall of Fame.
The club was a perfect launching point for Donny, the lifetime volunteer.
As an adult, Donny worked primarily in sales, where his personality shone.
“Everybody liked Donny; he had tons of friends,” said his sister, Sharon Kay, who referred to her big brother as “my best friend.”
Sharon’s husband, Jerry Kay, said Donny was “so personable.” Jerry, a fellow founder of the Highwaymen Car Club, said his brother-in-law always helped with the annual Deuce Merc car show that donated proceeds to charity.
“He got real satisfaction helping people,” Sharon said, a trait that made him both good at his job in sales and his volunteer work.
“He was non-judgmental,” said Sharon.
She said her brother viewed the imprisoned women as people who had made errors. They all had value and hope. “They were not bad people.”
According to a tribute written about Donny, he had participated in parole hearings, led weekly on-site Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) groups and mentored the women in those groups. He drove inmates to community events and programs and home for family visits, often into remote areas and in all weather. Donny was a man of his word.
Much of Donny’s volunteer work focused on helping the inmates prepare to be released, where they’d be reintegrated into the community. He wanted them to succeed, to know they had worth.
Sharon said her brother’s favourite saying was that there were no bad people, just those that got involved in bad things. She added, he’d say to the women he worked with, “so how’s that working for you?” It was a reality check and one that often made an impact. Tributes from former inmates pointed to the importance of his support.
Donny’s importance to the prison’s programs, its many committees and his work training volunteers meant he was known by everyone, right up to the national headquarters of Correctional Service Canada.
Donny had retired from his sales job at age 65, and for a while, he drove the courtesy shuttle for a car dealership. He endured a heart bypass 15 years ago and had returned to health until suffering stomach issues and infections recently. He died on Sept. 30, 2021.