Helen Louise Robbins has been described by those who know her well as friendly, outgoing, helpful and conscientious. She has been volunteering at King Manor since she moved there in 1991. That exact date, as she recalls, was Sept. 16, 1991 and on her birthday next yea on Wednesday, Sept. 15, she will be 82 years old.
She has been a Duluth resident, her whole life.
She was born in the Bethel home for women and children in 1922. She never knew her father, or mother and moved between orphanages and foster homes when she was young.
Despite her difficult beginnings, Helen is active today and shows no signs of slowing down.
Being active, and moving has been a part of her whole life. "So, I've been all over since I was little," Robbins said.
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She stays active by delivering newspapers to the residents of King Manor. "If I didn't do this extra job I wouldn't make the extra money," she said. "I'm going to keep it up as long as I can."
She plans her route well.
"I have the bags all ready to put in the papers," she said. She knows exactly how many go to each floor. She delivers close to 100 every day. "So I have lots of papers," she said.
"She has never had a complaint on her route," said Mark Krenn, Robbins' supervisor at the Duluth Budgeteer News. She has done an outstanding job for the last four years since she started her route."
In addition to her newspaper routes, she helps out with serving coffee in the lounge for the assisted living residents three days a week and sometimes, she helps serve cake and ice cream for the birthday parties.
"I like it," she says about her jobs. "It gives me something to do, otherwise I would be sitting around doing nothing."
