Illustration by Drew Shannon
I learned how to fly kites indoors – single-line gliders – by taking lessons in South Padre Island, Texas. Started an indoor flying kite group back home in Dorchester, Ont., and have been flying weekly at the local gym since 2011.
Penny Wearne
(District 8 London, Middlesex)
I started volunteering with Classrooms Without Walls, a not-for-profit organization committed to providing children and youth living in conflict zones with access to free education.
Margit Muller
(District 28 Region of Durham)
I was privileged to work for a First Nations community as their educational administrator, which was an opportunity to open my mind to a different system and political environment.
Ruth Jackson
(District 33 Chatham-Kent)
I started a new hobby: energy healing through Reiki and reflexology.
Anita Cook
(District 4 Sudbury, Manitoulin)
I joined the Faculty of Education at the University of Ottawa.
Richard James
(District 32 Prescott-Russell)
I moved to the Maritimes, got married.
Pamela Baker
(District 50 Atlantic)
I moved to a new country, learned to paint, developed an interior design business, learned to speak Spanish fluently, embraced a new culture and a new circle of friends, became a mentor to a university student and initiated a piano enrichment program for talented and needy young musicians.
Brian Care
(District 23 North York)
I now work 24/7 to combat climate chaos through personal, municipal, provincial and federal action and educating others in my community.
Susan McKenzie
(District 46 Muskoka)
I’m an actor and a full member of ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), a lovely way to spend retirement.
Barbara Rajnovich
(District 3 Algoma)
I have moved back to the city where I raised my children. I have volunteered, started exercising at the gym and in the pool, and discovered pickleball. I have also travelled a lot and adopted two adorable kitties.
Marie-Anne Pronovost
(District 44 Franco-Nipissing)
I’ve taken a part-time job in a long-term care facility. I spent 38.5 years working with children; now I’m working with their parents and grandparents.
Milton Martyn
(District 2 Thunder Bay)
I took retirement following a horse-riding accident – another fall could have confined me to a wheelchair. I decided to follow my passion by doing some volunteer work at the horse-riding centre. I have registered for many courses to better understand these fascinating animals and made new female friends in the process. I might eventually submit a story about this to Renaissance.
Louise Sylvestre
(District 27 Ottawa-Carleton)
I built a new house in another town, did some broadcasting, started two new jobs, learned to curl, joined a new baseball team, started golfing on a regular basis, became active in RTOERO and joined a classic rock band.
Alfred Guidolin
(District 12 Norfolk)
I took on the task of including the Holodomor in curricula across Canada as the director of education at the Holodomor Research and Education Consortium, University of Alberta.
Valentina Kuryliw
(District 16 City of Toronto)
