Winnie Surette honoured by Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s 50 Over Fifty initiative

Winnie Surette, a 42-year employee of CIBC in Yarmouth, was one of 50 women over the age of 50 celebrated at the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Atlantic Region’s inaugural 50 Over Fifty event, sponsored by CIBC.



In 2000, Surette received the Governor General Award for her volunteer work in the community of Yarmouth. She also received the Citizen of the Year Award in 2003/2004 from the Lions Club.



CIBC general manager, Cathy McMullen describes her as “an absolute icon in her community.”



After fundraising each year for the Canadian Breast Cancer CIBC Run for the Cure, Surette makes the journey to Halifax to participate in the event. She is a member of the Tri-County Regional School Board, the chair of the board for the Mariners Centre and sits on the board for the Wwestern Counties Regional Library. A member of the Yarmouth Special Olympics Committee, she also finds time to be a member of the executives for the Rotary Club of Yarmouth, the IODE and is a member of the Yarmouth Town and County Crime Prevention Association. Surette has also been a volunteer cook for the Relay for Life in her community since its inception.



“I think everybody’s goal is to help other people. I’m not a person that wants or needs stuff. I just like to help other people,” she said.



On top of her job, family and volunteer work, Surette finds the time at Christmas, with money donated from various groups, to buy items for families with kids who do not have the resources to buy gifts for their families themselves. She also collects money from financial institutions and buys turkeys for local food banks.



She also assists local students in various ways, including staying up all night with kids on their graduation night as part of the Safe Grad program.