Louise Klaassen
“Knowledge is a gem and I want it to be here for a very long time. That’s why I donate.”
Bound Together
The most important lesson Louise Klaassen has learned in life is to not judge a book by its cover. “Because you don’t know what’s behind the cover,” she says. “And you don’t know how the cover was made.”
Her own book is filled with many rewarding chapters. Born in Netherlands, her family moved to Canada when she was five. Louise spent most of her life in Vancouver, where she worked at a number of different jobs, the longest as a 911 operator and dispatcher with the Vancouver Police and later E-Comm. Now retired, she’s called Victoria home for the past 11 years. She fills her days with activities she loves, from heading out with her walking group and enjoying evenings at the opera to volunteering with local organizations like the Art Gallery and Government House.
“If you’ve got the capability to give back, I think it’s important to do so,” says Louise. “It’s a way to meet with people who share your values, to engage with the community and make your surroundings a better place.”
She gets the same sense of connection through Knowledge Network, particularly in programs that explore stories and people from right here in BC. As a Leadership Circle donor, she’s proud to help support local content and local filmmakers. “The films and documentaries they make are about us. And often what they see is more interesting than what I see at first glance. They dig a little bit deeper. They ask the right questions.”
Above all, she values the trust she can put in Knowledge programming. A longtime viewer, she became a Partner because she knows community support is what keeps Knowledge’s story going strong. “Knowledge is a gem and I want it to be here for a very long time. That’s why I donate.”