Marilyn L.

Meet Marilyn

Marilyn spent four decades working for Bell Canada and has a great grasp on customer service. She believes strongly in treating people with respect, especially those who are down and our on their luck and struggling to get. You’ll enjoy learning about her, and from her.

Marilyn Lawton spent 40 years with Bell Canada and two years with Manitoba Telephone. And, although we never met during my 24 year tenure at Bell, we shared a common bond: being fortunate to be part of a ‘can do’ work culture – surrounded by talented people – like Marilyn.

She literarily wrote the book on the definitive customer service training experience. And, after teaching service excellence for 12 years at the college level, I certainly appreciated her work.

“Everybody can be great — because anybody can serve.” – Martin Luther King Jr

She joined the London Food Bank May, 2015 (almost seven years) where friends already volunteered. Of course they made sure that volunteer leader, Mary Ann McDowell, knew of this very talented resource.

Marilyn’s motto: ‘Treat people the way you would like to be treated.’

This is especially true since the pandemic because a new survey (NNP Consumer Debt Index 2022) states that 53% of Canadians are only $200 from being unable to pay their monthly bills.

She says that there’s a wide range of personal experiences as to why people visit food banks including: temporarily between jobs, waiting for government cheques, seasonal workers, in addition to major financial setbacks.

It's true, anyone can fall through the cracks of our social safety net. This includes displaced ‘white collar’ individuals who now find that their non-indexed pensions, eroded savings and lack of parttime prospects, find themselves visiting foodbanks from time-to-time. According to one such individual, it’s not stressful or stigmatizing; it’s accepted as commonplace, now.

Still, Marilyn says it’s important to be respectful. For example, people have to declare their ‘homeless’ status before we know what’s provisions are prepared for them. However, a cup of kindnesses (and sensitivity) goes a long way. If possible, you might allow for some small supplemental request (perhaps a jar of peanut butter or coffee.) And, when asked if Londoner’s know and appreciated the need for the food bank, she says yes… and more. They trust our judgment to get the right provisions, into the right hands, at the right time. Londoner’s understand life can take a sharp turn for the worst… for any of us.

She’s also thankful for the tone set by the London Food Bank co-directors: the husband and wife team and of Jane Roy and Glen Pearson. Their cheerfulness all goes into the mix of creating a welcoming environment – a place of genuine warm feelings and smiling faces. This is picked up by everyone and shared with everyone: the ultimate customer service program for the soul!

So, thanks again Marilyn for so deftly explaining your experience at the London Food Bank – there definitely seems to be a song in everyone’s heart. When I asked what that might be for her, it’s ‘Forever Young’ by Rod Stewart.

“And may you grow to be proud, dignified and true.

And do unto others as you'd have done to you

… be courageous and be brave!”

See it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8vRtacHj2Nk

( Thanks, my ‘Forever Young’ daughter, Jessica: getting his concert tickets for us, years ago!)