Windsor community activist, 85, receives Ontario Senior Achievement Award

Sheila Barker holds up her 2023 Ontaro Senior Achievement Award certificate on Mar 4, 2024. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)

One of the founding members of Women's Enterprise Skills Training (W.E.S.T.) of Windsor who moved to Canada from Jamaica 65 years ago and is recognized as a longtime community activist has received the 2023 Ontario Senior Achievement Award.

The Ontario Senior Achievement Awards recognize people who have made outstanding contributions to their communities through voluntary or professional activities after the age of 65.

Sheila Barker, 85, was one of 20 Ontario seniors to be presented with the award last week.

"I was born in Jamaica, West Indies, and moved to Canada in 1959 to attend nursing school in Montreal," said Barker, adding she received a scholarship from the Victorian Order of Nurses to attend McGill University with the obligation to serve in return.

"But then my husband wanted to come to the University of Windsor. So I moved to Windsor around 1980."

It's this city where she worked in hospital settings and as a public health nurse.

She has also held an advisory role in policing services during the Bob Rae era of government.

Barker has also been a founding member for the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Women's Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor (W.E.S.T.) of Windsor and the local chapter of the United Way.

The province described Barker as a community activist who has made "outstanding contributions to individuals, groups, and organizations in Windsor-Essex."

"Sheila has also been very effective in her community as an advocate for social justice, a voice for the less fortunate, including black women, youth and girls, and a promoter of Canadian values," the province said in a statement.

In 2018, she was recognized as one of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women.

Barker credits her nursing background to why she has dedicated her life to the non-profit sector.

"I believe nursing prepares people for just about everything. I believe nurses can do everything and anything because we meet people when they're down and ill. We help to bring things back to normal or as close to normal as possible," she said.

Barker added she is grateful to be a part of a city that continues to grow and she hopes more people step up to volunteer toward whatever cause they best associate with.

"The government really trusts the not for profit sector in identifying problems and finding solutions. The government is there to assist with money but it's the volunteers who do the real work," she said.

"I just say hip-hip-hooray to the volunteers because they do a wonderful service. I'm just glad that I'm one of them."