After a 40-year teaching career, Joan Weston returned to Tillsonburg and immersed herself in volunteer work.
For Joan Weston, retirement was never going to mean slowing down.
A longtime educator who spent 40 years teaching English and Drama with the Waterloo Regional District School Board, Weston returned to her hometown of Tillsonburg and quickly immersed herself in community life.
Today, her volunteer résumé spans everything from literacy tutoring to heritage preservation.
Weston was named Tillsonburg’s 2021 Citizen of the Year, an honour recognizing her dedicated service, which has now surpassed 17 years. She has been a passionate advocate for the preservation of Lake Lisgar, serving as a volunteer grant writer for the Lake Lisgar Revitalization Project and successfully securing $200,000 in funding for ecosystem-enhancing initiatives. She’s also a dedicated member of the Tillsonburg District Historical Society, sits on the Museum Advisory Committee, volunteers with the Agricultural Society, and is known for delivering engaging tours and Lunch and Learn presentations at Annandale House.
But it was her 11 years as an adult basic literacy tutor that left one of the biggest impressions. Weston recalls one student proudly passing his Canadian citizenship test after months of working together, an achievement she calls “outstanding.”
When asked why volunteering was such a big part of her life, Weston stressed, “I’m not just going to sit around and twiddle my thumbs in retirement.” “If you’re able, why not get out and help somehow?”
She encourages others to start small, choose something they enjoy, and get involved, because without volunteers, many of the events and services residents enjoy simply wouldn’t happen.
You can hear our interview with Weston below as part of our Volunteer Appreciation Day series on OxfordToday.ca.
Written by: Kennedy Freeman
