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Sherryl Jackson named Senior of the Year & Wall of Honour recipient

October 30, 2020   ·   0 Comments

While hard work can sometimes go unnoticed, the Town of New Tecumseth recently shined a spotlight on a resident who’s been working hard to make a difference in her community. 

Town Council announced Sherryl Jackson as the 2019 Senior of Year and Wall of Honour recipient during last Monday’s Council meeting for her active role in volunteering and supporting the Town. 

Jackson told The Times she was pleasantly surprised to have been selected for the awards.

“I was gobsmacked, I had no idea whatsoever,” she said. “There are a lot of people, I’m sure, that are deserving of this, so I’m very honoured.”

Jackson has been directing school and community choirs since 1966 and locally she’s directed the Greenbriar men’s choir in 2018 and 2019. 

“She is best known as being the director and conductor of the Girls Night Out, a ladies’ charity community choir… since its inception in 1999 the choir has donated over $80,000 to different organizations in New Tecumseth that funds various community projects,” noted Mayor Rick Milne. 

“Sherryl continues to volunteer her time and energy and love of music and people to make things better for the residents of New Tecumseth.” 

Jackson has volunteered at the Good Shepherd Food Bank since 2010 and has been a Charter Member of the Women’s Probus Club in Alliston since 2004. 

She also would visit nursing homes with a therapy dog to entertain local seniors.

Jackson told The Times being an active volunteer and assisting the community is “just the way I was raised,” growing up with parents who were very generous in donating their time to organizations in need.

She moved to Alliston in 1990 to raise her children and said, “what a blessing it has been.” 

“We’ve met so many intelligent, resourceful and caring people here,” Jackson said. “It’s a very strong community.”

She said it’s also great to live in a place with so many activities available from skiing and skating to curling. Jackson added that the Lions Clubs, Rotary Club, 54+ Club, three Probus Clubs and arts organizations provide a great benefit to New Tecumseth as well.  

“The arts community is thriving with the support of the Arts Council and the Gibson Centre,” she said. 

“I once had an adjudicator ask me what was in the water at New Tecumseth that produced so many fine artists.” 

Jackson said there’s so many great places to volunteer locally, such as Meals on Wheels, Canadian Blood Services, the Good Shepherd Food Bank, St. John’s Therapy Dog program, Matthews House Hospice and My Sister’s Place. 

Currently all of her volunteering efforts are on hold due to COVID-19, which has been a difficult change in her routine.

“It’s been very depressing, especially missing choir work, we don’t know when we’ll ever be able to get together to sing,” Jackson said.  “The girls and I all keep in touch and I do see the odd one the odd time.”

“I really miss all of it, I can’t wait to get back to doing things,” she added.

Jackson said she looks forwards to when she can safely serve the community again and will do so as long as she’s able.

By Sam Odrowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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