June performed with piano and voice from an early age, then added the saxophone as a teenager. She attended several provincial finals as a competitor, in both band and voice.
June’s knowledge of how participation in the local Music Festival assisted with her life-long passion of music and continuing to perform by singing at funerals, weddings, in church along with other special occasions, led her to encourage her three daughters to also enter.
She became a member of the Music Festival Committee in 1979, assisting in many different positions over the years. In 1986, June became the entry secretary for vocal and band, and has held this position to the present day.
Her investigative nature has aided her in making sure the entries were in the right categories, had not been used previously, were paid for, could be performed at the most convenient time for the accompanist as well as the performer, and met the requirements as laid out in the syllabus and the directory every year.
June has also been one of the quiet voices of experience the Weyburn Music Festival committee has relied on over the years to maintain the festival’s high standards as the music festival has evolved through the many decades.
This has allowed for many upgrades and changes in the overall production of the festival, making it more user friendly for all involved while maintaining that standard of excellence. She has enjoyed being a part of these changes and has always encouraged her students to enter at least two separate classes each year.
June enjoys attending the Music Festival Committee meetings, especially when getting close to performances, as the energy level climbs, then the wind-up meeting where everyone gets to sit back and address any issues arising from the past year and begin to look forward to next year.
As the Music Festival has transitioned in the future, with on-line entries and zoom meetings, she still feels included as an important part of this committee and looks forward to the day when everyone can attend the live performances once again.
Born and raised in Weyburn, June enjoys following in her parent’s footsteps as a tireless volunteer in and around the community. She was a Girl Guide and invested over 16 years in the Guiding movement as a Sparks, Brownie and Girl Guide leader. She also was a leader and teacher for over 18 years in the Christian Youth Crusaders program, run by the Weyburn Free Methodist Church, as well as a Sunday School teacher, and choir director.
She volunteered at each of the schools her daughters attended and was the co-ordinator of the CanSkate primary program for seven years. She is a 25-year-plus member of the Weyburn Quota Club and the Rebekah Lodge. June has been the chairperson of the Weyburn Care-A-Van Society for many years and was a part of Octavius Singers for over 40 years.
June has developed many long-standing relationships with her vocal students and their parents, which truly has been the joy in her day after coming home from work to give music lessons to eager young people. June feels blessed to have been a part of all these committees and organizations in her hometown community of Weyburn.
“We are truly blessed to have June as a member of our community and especially as part of our Weyburn Rotary Music Festival board. Our board would like to thank June for her many years of dedicated service to facilitating music in our community,” said a statement from the Weyburn Music Festival board in nominating her for the award.
