At age 100, still going strong

REDINGTON SHORES - Helen Heath turns 100 in two weeks, still working 60 hours a week, and with no plans to quit.

Hers is a labor of love.

"It would have been much easier just to have sold the property, developers would love to have it, and I'd just sit out their and rock in my Medicare rocking chair," she says, "But Ralph will have none of that."

She is referring to her son Ralph Heath, founder of the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary in Redington Shores.

The largest non-profit wild bird hospital and sanctuary in the country now occupies the grounds of the family's former beachfront summer home.

"What used to be our recreation room is our hospital," Mrs. Heath says. She has been the treasurer since the non-profit was formed in 1972. "I wanted to be involved in helping, but I did not want to be involved to this extent, but it was kind of dumped in my lap."

Nonetheless, she has no plans to quit.

"As long as I can add 2 and 2 correctly and look at it correctly, I don't want to stop," she says.

"It's really quite an inspiration to me and of course to everyone that works here that a person can be 100 years old and still have a very, very active mind and still work 7 days a week," Ralph Heath said.