December, 2021
Sunny Dabbler Joanne Erickson
M
aking a difference in the world through volunteering has been and continues to be Joanne’s passion. From working in the hospital with Healthy Moms and Babes teaching them budgeting to instructing teenagers to become cultured young adults through a Spring Ball program where high school students were taught manners and etiquette; Joanne enjoys helping others. When she was in her 60’s, Joanne ventured to Tijuana, Mexico with a group of volunteers to help build houses. Her experience exceeded her expectations and she fondly remembers her encounter with a lovely cook. Through an interpreter, Joanne learned that this woman had cooked chicken mole to perfection and when Joanne had praised her for her amazing cooking skills, the woman offered her a bowl she had used to cook. When Joanne wanted to refuse, she was told that would be an insult to the woman, so Joanne chose to take a small bowl back to Canada with her.
Now she is reminded of her experience whenever she uses it to serve food. The generous gift showed the culture of giving and Joanne wants to exemplify that in her own life. Growing up on a farm in the 1950’s, but going to school in the city enabled Joanne to be both city slicker and country girl at the same time. She and her 3 sisters had chores to do and she remembers her mother cooking and canning. As a teen, Joanne was shy. She was afraid of drugs and didn’t like all the drinking that went on. Her parents owned a cottage in the Sushwap Lake region and she enjoyed her time there. She also remembers a few encounters on dates at the Drive-In in the summertime. Joanne calls herself a “dabbler” because she has such an interest and ability in a variety of things. From weaving, calligraphy and oil and water color painting to making table runners, wall hangings and bookkeeping, Joanne loves little projects. She attended SAIT and took Merchandise Administration so she even dabbled in numbers. During COVID, she thought she would get lots of proSeniors — Winter 2021
jects done, but she missed her friends, didn’t accomplish too much, but relied on her faith to see her through being alone. Joanne married her high school hockey player sweetheart and they had two sons. Her son once told her that he wished his parents had taught them more about finances and Joanne wishes that young people today would know more about budgeting. Staying off technology, showing respect and acknowledging others are also skills young people need to learn to build resiliency. She hopes her 6 grandchildren will learn those lessons as they grow. Being humble is a positive attribute in Joanne’s books. Suppressing one’s ego and not worrying about notoriety, not idolizing others because they are humans like the rest of us would also help the world. She wishes people were less greedy for money and attention. Joanne’s legacy she would leave the world, is a sunnier, happier place filled with kindness, laughter and acceptance. She certainly displays all of these.
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