2020 Distinguished Service Award Recipients

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

2020 RTAM Distinguished Service Award Recipients

Joan Dawson Carol Pelton Ray Sitter

The RTAM Distinguished Service Awards will be presented to these deserving RTAM members at the 2021 AGM. The RTAM Distinguished Service Award is presented to deserving RTAM members whose service to RTAM, as a whole, has been extraordinary.

The RTAM Chapter Member Distinguished Service Award was created to acknowledge a deserving Chapter member whose service to their chapter has been extraordinary.

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

RTAM CHAPTER

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

MAVIS JOHNSTON

Upon retiring from the Brandon School Division, where she began her career in 1961, Mavis Johnston demonstrated her lifelong interest in education beyond the classroom and immediately joined WREA. She was immediately elected to the Executive and soon served as President. Following her term as President Mavis served as Treasurer, a position she has held for approximately twenty years! She is invaluable to WREA in this capacity as she fulfills this position with integrity and precision. Mavis is one of WREA’s perpetual greeters at each of the events at which time she meticulously records attendance, receives annual membership fees, and distributes name tags. She is never hesitant to serve on any sub-committee of WREA and her mentorship of new members, both general members and executive members, is invaluable.

Mavis has recognized and supported both WREA and RTAM events and programs. Not only does she honour WREA’s over-90 members with carefully chosen birthday cards suited to their interests, she delivers them to their homes and stays for a visit. Mavis is a very caring and is instrumental in making sure they all they feel valued as WREA/ RTAM members.

Mavis has been the WREA representative on the Brandon Teachers Association (BTA) Council and has done much to nurture and maintain this solid relationship. She was recently called upon by BTA to help with a project to honour hundred-year-old members in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of MTS.

Mavis has attended most RTAM AGM’s in person and has taken an intense interest in the political/ financial components of RTAM; spending many hours in the planning of the 2019 RTAM AGM hosted by WREA in Brandon. Mavis has participated in the presentation of responses to various legislative Bills which impacted retired teachers in this province including protesting Bill 45.

Mavis also supports and volunteers at the Humane Society; volunteers at the Daly House Museum, where she holds the position of Treasurer. Mavis embodies the characteristics of a lifetime educator by continuing her passion in her front-line service to WREA and RTAM.

EMILY WILLIAMSON

Emily Williamson is a perfect candidate to be awarded the RTAM (RWTA) Chapter Distinguished Service Award. Emily has been a member of RWTA since she retired from teaching. She has served on the Retired Women Teachers' Association's Executive Board for 20+ years. She has held many positions including as Social Committee rep, as Membership Chair (for many years ) & presently as Visiting Committee Chair. She is compassionate, dedicated, incredibly talented, full of ideas, full of personality, fun loving, organized, creative, & always willing to go the extra mile for RWTA & its members. Emily is our "go to person" ready to help in any way. We thoroughly enjoy Emily dressed as "Mrs. Claus" each December luncheon bringing joy to our members. The Retired Women Teachers' Organization is proud to nominate Emily Williamson for this award.

WALLY STOYKO

A former Permit Teacher in Manitoba, Wally Stoyko has been active with the Dr. Louisa Loeb Permit Teachers Reunion since its inception in 2003, where he served as President and a member-at-large over

the years.

Wally brought with him his extensive knowledge and experience as a former Administrator in the St. Vital School Division and that of a School Trustee with the Transcona School Division.

As a committee member on the Special Personnel and Public relations committee, Wally had the idea to make a Gala Event due to the diminishing numbers of aging Permit Teachers. The event was held on July 12, 2019 with various dignitaries in attendance.

In an interview with CBC radio, Wally did an excellent job representing the need for Permit teachers in the one-room schoolhouse during both World Wars.

Wally represented the Permit Teachers committee by presenting the Manitoba Teachers Society with two Permit Teachers’ banners to be hung in the MTS offices to show the contribution of Permit Teachers to society. 