City of Waterloo honours the 2019 Senior of the Year
The City of Waterloo is pleased to recognize the 2019 Senior of the Year – Jean Hoffmann. This award honours an outstanding senior who, after the age of 65, has enriched the social, cultural or civic life of our community.
Jean is a retired Waterloo Region District School Board elementary school teacher who taught what was once called “home economics.” Since retirement, Jean has devoted much of her time assisting others in the City of Waterloo and surrounding area. “Tireless work in the service of others” describes Jean’s volunteerism.
As a member of First United Church in uptown Waterloo, most weeks, Jean visits church members who can no longer attend church on their own. This includes visits to long-term care facilities all over Waterloo region.
Jean is also part of the team that prepares lunch every Tuesday for the hundreds of people who attend the church’s free noon-hour concerts. She is the secretary of the United Church Women’s Group, and monitors the distribution of the church newsletter. Jean has contributed her talent as a seamstress to assist those who need clothing adjustments. She creates “quiet books” – hand-sewn discovery books for children, available at Schneider House, and as gifts for new mothers. Jean also makes her own greeting cards and get-well cards for friends, and those recovering from illness.
As a neighbour, Jean took the lead in helping to beautify the grounds of her housing development, and her own property is a showplace of gardening love and expertise. Whether it’s baking muffins for recently arrived neighbours, or assisting a newly widowed neighbour with the paperwork and transportation to local agencies, Jean takes the initiative to assist those in need.
The Silver Spoons luncheon is a regular Tuesday event for older adults in uptown Waterloo. Four churches take turns hosting the luncheon and Jean is a regular contributor with the First United cohort. The Canadian Council for the Blind has a monthly luncheon, and Jean can be seen there as well, helping to prepare and serve the meal.
Jean Hoffmann’s style of volunteerism – quiet, efficient, thoughtful, independent, generous and self-starting – has inspired others to volunteer as well. Jean has helped to add volunteers to the Hospice Waterloo gardening program, the Noon-Hour Concert lunch preparation team, and the Canadian Council for the Blind luncheons.
When not serving others, Jean loves to travel and extends invitations to friends and family to join her. She acknowledges that she’s on a first-name basis with many of the Westjet personnel at the Region of Waterloo International Airport.
Jean’s nominator for Senior of the Year wrote, “Jean Hoffmann is not interested in the spotlight or in praise. She is most absorbed with service to others, hospitality, outreach” and in the process, making the City of Waterloo a healthy and welcoming place to live.” One of the panel members of the Senior of the Year committee commented, “I wish I had a neighbour like Jean Hoffmann.”
The Senior of the Year award will be presented to Jean on Monday, May 27 during a regularly scheduled city council meeting. Visit our website for more information about past winners of this award. For more information about other age-friendly initiatives visit waterloo.ca/agefriendly.
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City of Waterloo contact:
Jaye Kuntz
Senior Services
519-888-6356, ext. 26020
jaye.kuntz@waterloo.ca
Age-friendly Waterloo multi-agency committee contact:
Rick Chambers
519-747-4786
rchambers411@gmail.com