Chantal Savoie, after a life of work and in the service of volunteering

Chantal Savoie savoure aujourd’hui sa retraite. D. R

Chantal Savoie

La Mendoise a travaillé comme agent territorial spécialisé des écoles maternelles avant de s’occuper bénévolement d’associations pendant de nombreuses années.

Volunteering is one of the qualities that accompanies Chantal Savoie's life. She works in the shadows, always efficiently, for the city's biggest events. Born in Mende, second in a family of five children, she did all her schooling in Mende. She starts working doing replacements at the hospital. This work does not please her, she focuses on children.

Hired by the town hall, she finds her way with the kindergarten children. "For 42 years, I had fun, especially with Sophie, the mistress. In the class, we had working groups. We taught them to make objects with beads, or we let them draw with paint. We even made cakes! It was a real passion for me", remembers the Atsem (Specialized territorial agent for nursery schools). This job was a real passion for Chantal.

His hobby, the belote

"When I retired, I looked for them everywhere. I was telling my husband, right now, they are in the canteen, or they are taking a nap!"

With Alain, they have a daughter Audrey and two grandchildren, Louis, 9 years old, and Emy, 12 years old. Despite this passion for children, Chantal Savoie gets involved in associations with pleasure. From 2000 to 2010, she was involved with the family in Restos du coeur. She took care of reception and distribution of clothing. "I took my daughter with me, so she could understand how lucky she was to have everything she wanted, compared to some people who need help. I have very good memories with Éliane Chaze."

The couple also gets involved in badminton, to help during receptions. She is one of those people who works before events for the well-being of everyone, as well as after the event, to tidy up the room. The list of those in which she has participated is long: the Association Forum since the beginning in 2008, the Sports Festival, the Wine Forum, the People's Festival, Sport for All, the Aerials, the Telethon and the Marvejols-Mende .

"For the Marvejols-Mende, we took care of the favorites, preparing meals for them before the race until Sunday lunchtime. Then in the evening, during the party at the Saint-Jean hall, we did the service and then, at the end, we tidyed up the room. My husband and I stopped for the fiftieth edition."

Chantal Savoie is no longer as active in associations , she stopped most of her activities to devote herself to her retirement in 2017, which is not easy. She takes care of her garden, her flowers and the birds which are her passion.

She does small maintenance jobs, such as painting, around the house which dominates Mende. She has not forgotten everything she learned at school and applies it with her grandchildren who occupy her free time well.

She does walking and takes care of her 100-year-old mother-in-law who is at the hospital's retirement home. Her passion is belote with her cousins, where she has a great time.

Correspondent Midi Libre: 06 83 48 50 18

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