OUR RESIDENTS
It’s All About Community at Chartwell
A Woman for
All Time
Some people continually inspire and
encourage us to think outside the box.
Chartwell Villa Jonquière Retirement
Residence in Quebec can always
count on a particularly exceptional
resident, Georgette Ellefson, as a
source of vitality and motivation.
For more than 50 years, this activist’s
journey has been motivated by her
commitment and empathy for women
and seniors.
Georgette was a pioneer in Quebec
in the fight for women’s rights, includ-
ing the right to vote, marching with
famed suffragette Thérèse Casgrain
in the 1940s. In an age when public
opinion wasn’t totally in favour of
women entering the labour market,
she found fulfilment as a volunteer,
while devoting herself to her chil-
dren’s education.
She was one of the first ambassadors
of Jonquière-Médic, a service
enabling doctors to provide home
visits to the Jonquière population.
Also active in The Women’s
Association of Education and Social
Action (AFEAS), she has defended
equality and helped assert the inter-
ests of women across Canada.
Her most significant contribution is
no doubt her long involvement with
the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Seniors
Regional Consultation Table, repre-
senting the needs of seniors.
In 2012, Georgette was recognized
with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond
Jubilee Medal for the time, knowledge
and experience she has invested to
improve the lives of others.
Today, she shares her time with a
number of local organizations calling
on her determination and innovative,
appealing ideas to mobilize people
around her to improve their commu-
nity’s well-being along with her.
Preserving a Precious Local Legacy in Vancouver
14
Of the many roles Cecilia Smith has
played in the Vancouver theatre
scene, the most enduring may be
preserving generations of memories
of star turns and starlight nights. includes Roger’s photos of every
season from auditions to opening
night to final bow, and the programs
and other treasures Cecilia has kept or
discovered at local tag sales.
For 50 years, Cecilia and husband
Roger have served as volunteer docu-
mentarians of Theatre Under The
Stars (TUT), the beloved non-profit
musical theatre company that
performs at Stanley Park’s Malkin
Bowl band-shell each summer. The lifelong actress has often shone
under the TUTs spotlight, from star-
ring as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady
in 1980 to singing the heart-tugger
Feed The Birds in Mary Poppins’ two
years ago.
The couple, who have lived at Chartwell
Churchill House in North Vancouver
since 2013, have amassed a muse-
um-sized quantity of memorabilia. This Flipping through their scrapbooks is
like a long, wonderful visit with friends
and family, Cecilia says. The role of
Archivist fits her just fine.
CHARTWELL.COM