Joan McSweeney honoured with Ontario senior award

By Mark Ribble

A long-time volunteer and leader in the community has been honoured at Queen’s Park with an Ontario Senior Achievement Award.

Joan McSweeney of Leamington is one of 16 seniors from across the province who were honoured with the award this year. Only up to 20 individuals each year are given this honour.

Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, and the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, celebrated the recipients’ accomplishments and outstanding contributions to their communities at the Ontario Senior Achievement Awards Ceremony on January 31 at Queens Park.

“It was an absolutely wonderful experience,” said Joan this week. “You just know you’re part of something special when you’re summoned to Queen’s Park.”

McSweeney served on the Board of Directors of the South Essex Community Council (SECC) for 12 years and was part of the founding board for SECC which is celebrating its 50th year in 2023.

While on the board, Joan worked tirelessly to develop the Erie Shores Hospice in Leamington and was a driving force behind its opening. She still spearheads and looks after the gardening at the hospice here.

“Hospice is still a very special part of my life,” she added. “It was lovely to meet the Lieutenant Governor. She was so gentle and soft spoken. Just a pleasure!”

Joan has also volunteered to help with the expansion of Journey Home Hospice (JHH), Toronto’s only hospice specifically for the homeless community.

Launched in 2018, Journey Home Hospice is operated by the Saint Elizabeth Foundation and aims to improve equitable access to hospice palliative care for the homeless community in a socially innovative way. In November 2022, a first of its kind satellite location was opened in Windsor.

This volunteerism took the form of helming up the interior design portion during the expansion of the Toronto hospice and the creation and execution of the Windsor campus. Her attention to detail and keen eye for décor has created two spaces that offer the warmth and familiarity of ‘home’ for those staying at JHH at end-of-life.

She and her husband Terry have been instrumental in renovations for Journey Home. Terry made daily trips to Toronto on the train to keep the renovations going during the COVID shutdowns.

She’s happy to be in such great company as her fellow recipients.

“To hear people’s stories as to what they have done was a very special feeling,” she said.

Joan has also served as a Leamington municipal representative on the Police Services Board for the past 21 years.

Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald — who was part of the group that nominated Joan for the award — is pleased with the result.

“Joan is exactly what people need to do to step up and make their com- munity better,” she said.

“I love Joan. She has a zest for life.”

MacDonald said that Joan’s volunteerism sets the standard for other se- niors.

“It speaks volumes for seniors that they can still be contributing members to our community,” she said.

Joan McSweeney (centre) of Leamington is one of 16 Ontario citizens to receive the Ontario Senior Achievement Award. She was presented with the award by the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and Raymond Cho, Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, at a ceremony at Queens Park on January 31.