Gaynor Stroebel
Gaynor Stroebel was born in Rhodesia during the turbulent sixties. “At my elementary school, there weren’t earthquake or fire drills; instead a piercing whistle would signal Attack Drills. I once got caned for running back into the classroom to fetch my satchel. My mother worked for Ian Smith, then Prime Minister. When I was ten, we left for South Africa. Loaded on the back of a small truck, we took the few possessions that were allowed out of the country. I’ve been a minimalist ever since and my greatest bugbear is consumerism.
“In the lush north eastern Transvaal, my parents farmed bananas, avocado pears and mangoes. I married Georg when I was doing my degree part time through the University of South Africa, while working in a library in East London. Burning the candle on both ends has always been part of my life. After our 3 children were born, we served in the diplomatic service in Japan for six years. At the end of 1993, we immigrated to Canada and stumbled upon Vancouver Island. Before coming to Shawnigan Lake School, we owned and operated the Rock Cod Cafe in Cowichan Bay, killing crab and filleting fish around the clock. After some years we wanted to get back into our professions or at least find some clean, un-smelly work. I had often driven past the gates of this beautiful campus and declared that this is where I wanted to work: at Canada’s best school!”
When Gaynor first started as Librarian at the School, she worked in Renfrew House. Sue Newns retired from Groves’ House as Director, and Gaynor took the reins. “Forging young women motivates me. I love the journey of witnessing their growing strength and independence. Not without many tears and heartache, the girls acquire the ability to hammer out the plucky resourcefulness and courage they need to embrace our challenging world, and this gives me great satisfaction. I would say that, above all, having fun with the girls is what keeps me going!”
Gaynor works in the library during the day—the House and girls are my focus in between Library hours and sometimes late into the night and weekends. “As Librarian,” she says, “being well read and informed regarding current best selling and award winning books is vital. When I have a spare moment, I read. The best part of being the librarian in a School filled with enthusiastic readers who keep me current, is our generous budget. Together with our popular birthday book programme, it supports book-buying expeditions and a student “wish list” that I can always fill!
Asked what other interests fill her life, Gaynor exclaims, “My life is my work; my work is my life. The girls have become our family and because I really do care about them, it is never too much. I am happy to be a constant in their lives and be here to support them. (They know to call ‘270’ even if it is 3am!) The people who inspire me are ‘SOULja Boy Georg’ [Gaynor’s husband and Shawnigan teacher, Georg Stroebel], my strong female friends, my daughter who is completing a Master’s in Environmental Sustainability in Sweden, the Groves’ girls, their parents and, also, my two grandchildren in Toronto.”