LIVERPOOL – The Queens Association for Supportive Living (QASL) thought the perfect way to honour a longtime member of its family would be to create a bursary in her name.
So that’s exactly what happened to honour Tina Warrington-Joudrey, who died in December 2016. The QASL recently created the Tina Warrington-Joudrey Memorial Bursary, which will be awarded to a student graduating from either Liverpool Regional High School or North Queens Community School who plans to pursue a career in the human services field.
“We’ve been talking about setting up a bursary program for a long time as a way of reaching out to the youth and students of Queens County – specifically students that are looking at pursuing a career in human services,” explained Treena Dexter, executive director of QASL.
Dexter says that education and training are important for the organization.
The bursary came to be after Dexter presented a proposal to the QASL board of directors.
“They were extremely supportive of it,” she said.
Who was Tina?
She would have given someone the shirt off her back, said Dexter and Sandi Graham-Muise in unison.
“Tina was somebody who was very passionate about the community,” said Graham-Muise, human resource manager for QASL.
Dexter and Graham-Muise were close with Warrington-Joudrey. Graham-Muise says when Warrington-Joudrey became ill she talked about having her village around her. The concept of it taking a village to support people was important to Warrington-Joudrey, explained Graham-Muise.
“She was somebody who was really a pillar of a lot of people’s villages,” said Graham Muise.
Graham-Muise says her friend was extremely involved in community activities, especially ones with youth. She was involved with getting the cheerleading program going.
Dexter and Graham-Muise say Warrington-Joudrey was incredibly compassionate. She didn’t practice compassion for recognition or accolades.
“That was one of the reasons she was such a great fit here,” said Dexter. “She was such a huge support to her community, and that sort of transferred over to her work that she did when she was with Queens Association (for Supported Living).”
Education was also something Warrington-Joudrey valued.
“In her 16 years with us, she came to us with a foundation, but she very much embraced the whole professional development (idea),” said Dexter.
Graham-Muise and Dexter also agree their friend had a sense of humour and joy of life that couldn’t go unmentioned.
“Her joy of life was absolutely contagious,” said Graham-Muise.
The bursary
The first $500 of the $1,000 bursary will be issued to the selected student after confirmation of enrollment either at community college or university. The second $500 will be issued after confirmation of enrollment for the second half of the student’s first year of post-secondary education.
The QASL takes students each year, so they can complete their program placements. Graham-Muise said the organization is committed to that, and it also has good relationships wit the various schools.
“This is just another way to continue to prove our commitment to the community,” she said.
Dexter says one of the organization’s philosophies is in the name with the word supportive.
“We believe that everyone needs a little support in their life from time to time,” she said.
Dexter says she hopes the bursary recipient takes the time to do some research to learn about Warrington-Joudrey.
“And consider themselves very honoured to have been chosen.”
The application deadline for the bursary is May 17. Students can pick up the application at Liverpool Regional High School or North Queens Community School.
Your reactions
Many people responded to the bursary announcement on Facebook:
LaDonna Williams: She's singing and dancing and watching her love continue to reach out. She loved her career and she loved watching people learn and grow. She would be honored. I am honored and blessed to have known her and to be a part of this organization for 17 years. Well done.
Jackie Mahoney: This just warms my heart and makes me cry at the same time! What a wonderful honour to someone who was so loving and giving to her family and her community!
Sandy Cross: What a wonderful thing to do in Tina’s memory. She is probably singing and dancing with this news. She probably never knew the impact she played in everyone’s lives that she knew and touched. She definitely was a kind hearted loveable soul. She lived life to the fullest without even knowing that her time was up way to short. Love you Tina and miss you cuz.
Way to go QASL!
