The woman who couldn't stop caring about kids and who did something about it for 20 years, has died at age 87.
Lola Chapman helped form the Ridge Meadows Youth and Justice Advocacy Association, which began offering the youth diversion program, often called "Lola's program," in 1994 after previously volunteering with the victim services unit and court watch, programs that supported victims of crime. Chapman died on Saturday, June 4, after a suffering a heart attack earlier in the week.
"Even when she was in care, she was concerned for other patients," said her daughter Lonnie Roscoe.
The youth diversion program, often known as “Lola’s program” was formed in September 1994 and offered kids a chance to be diverted from the court and prison system if they recognized and make restitution for their petty crimes.
Kids had to admit what they'd done, get assigned a mentor, sign an agreement and make amends in a variety of ways, in order to stay out of the criminal justice system.
Roscoe said that in 2004 during the 10th anniversary of the program, they estimated that 1,250 kids from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows had gone through the program with an 85 per cent success rate.
That compares with a normal recidivism rate of 30 to 50 per cent in the justice system.
"I think she was an amazing lady. Whatever she did, she did unconditionally."
Chapman though was in her 60s before she got involved with that, after retiring from a career managing credit unions.
When she was interviewed in 2004, Chapman said volunteers were spending as much time saving kids from drugs – as they spent rescuing them from a life of crime, compared to when the program started in 1994.
Donna Conniff, who was one of the mentors for the kids in the program, shares the same view as Chapman's daughter.
"She is the definition of kind … if I was to look it up in the dictionary."
"She never said a bad thing about anybody." She was always willing to help people. "Always, always.
"She was an amazing lady. She will be missed."
Chapman received her share of awards for starting the program in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows. She went to Ottawa to explain the program to the justice department and helped set up other youth diversion programs around B.C.
Chapman received the Prime Minister's Volunteer Award, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal and the Meritorious Service Decoration from the Governor General as well as the Paul Harris Rotary club recognition, among other awards.
Maple Ridge Coun. Gordy Robson and his wife Mary, also worked with Chapman.
"Lola Chapman was one of the archangels of our community. She had so much time and energy to give of herself," said Mary, who also used to be a mentor in the program.
It was an honour to work with Chapman, Mary added.
"I still run into kids that say their involvement in youth diversion is what changed them around."
After many years of financial instability, in April, the youth diversion program was absorbed into Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Community Services. During the 21 years of the program's existence, about 2,200 kids from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows were kept out of the criminal justice system.
"She probably pulled 200 kids back from the edge," said Gordy.