A dedicated Liverpool volunteer was honoured in a surprise ceremony Sunday.

Charlotte White thought she was attending the regular annual general meeting of the Hank Snow society. As she pulled in the driveway of the Hank Snow Museum, it didn't take long for her to figure out something was up.

“When I drove in the yard and I saw all the cars and I thought oh isn't this nice, we have so many to turn out ‘cause it was our annual meeting, right?” said White. “Oh, my heavens, and then I saw girl stand in the driveway that worked with me at the food bank and I thought, and then when I went to park, I saw my son’s car and I thought, what is going on here?”

For her longstanding service, the Friends of Hank Snow Society decided to name the room that showcases the famous singer’s outfits in honour of Charlotte White.

Commemorative sign inside museum. Photo courtesy Friends of Hank Snow Society

The ceremony was marked with messages of appreciation for White from MLA Kim Masland and Mayor Darlene Norman.

Administrator at the Hank Snow Museum Vina Moses says the honour is not only deserved but appropriate.

“We thought that would be a nice way to honour her so that when we do tours, we can say this is the Charlotte White room,” said Moses. “Charlotte White is the lady who did a lot for the museum, for the Friends of Hank Snow Society and a lady who loved Hank Snow and loved his music and wanted to make sure that it was remembered.”

Moses says White has been involved since the early days of the Friends of Hank Snow Society and her fingerprints are all over the organization.

While she isn’t as front and centre in day-to-day activities, White continues to be an honorary director.

Moses says when you mention to White you have a need, she puts her experience and connections to work to make it happen. Moses says the society also wanted to ensure White was recognized for her work establishing the outside canteen, which will now forever bear her name.

“I thought we needed something inside and outside because there may be people who don't come inside but who are at the outside activities or vice versa, you know. So, her name is in both areas, and I thought it was a deserving recognition that she would have that,” said Moses.

Charlotte White sign on concessions building outside museum. Photo courtesy Friends of Hank Snow Society

Keeping the ceremony a surprise from someone as plugged into the community as White was no easy feat.

Moses says she needed to use White’s own network against her to keep the event under wraps. By using the phone list White provided, Moses managed to divvy up the guest list into a phone tree for volunteers to reach out to all invitees.

“We knew if we put it out there, numerous, I'm sure hundreds and hundreds of people would have come,” said Moses. “But as I said, we kind of wanted her to know that all those volunteers that she's called over the years did it because they, you know loved her and loved helping out at Hank Snow and they did it because of Charlotte, I'll tell you for sure.”

When asked how she felt about having her name emblazoned across the museum White was both excited, and humbled.

“I never got to sleep ‘til about 1:30 this morning 'cause I kept thinking who was that who was that?” said White. “It was wonderful but not necessary, but wonderful.”

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