Life-long Interest in Community Wellness and Ageless Living

As a full-time resident of Winnipeg Beach, MB, Sherrill, at age 64, continues to pursue her life-long interest in wellness. Mother of three adult children and three granddaughters, she began her work as a researcher in psychotropic drugs for Kaiser Permanente in California. Findings in this study indicating that women received these drugs far more often than men, often masking underlying serious disease processes, helped her develop a special interest in the health of women. Following this interest, she developed a career as a child-birth instructor and La Leche League breast-feeding counselor in Winnipeg, at one time providing telephone councelling for the entire province of Manitoba.

Always interested in community development and education, she was instrumental in creating Friends Together Cooperative Nursery School. She recently celebrated the 30-year-anniversary of this popular Fort Gary school together with many families in the original founding group.

As a research/writer for the Winnipeg Social Council she produced a document on Teenage Pregnancy in Manitoba that reviewed the activities of 40 agencies in Manitoba involved in this issue. The resulting document provided direction for the coordination of services, drawing the agencies involved into coalition groups. Later, under contract to Research and Development, Education Manitoba, she investigated the International Baccalaureate Program as developed in three Winnipeg high schools, making recommendations for further programs in advanced education options at the high school level.

Inclusive Community Interests

As her children entered school, Sherrill became first the Resource Specialist at Special Materials Services in Manitoba Education, serving blind and visually impaired children enrolled in mainstream Manitoba schools. She continued in the line of work for 20 years, most of them spent as the Coordinator of Braille Production, creating braille products, distributing them, researching and distributing the latest supporting technology and providing training in their use. She particularly enjoyed provided work experience opportunity for these students.
During her years in the department, she was active in Workplace Health and Safety. As a lunch-time instructor of first yoga and then tai chi, her interests were well known to fellow employees.
Through involvement with the Welcome Home initiative of Winnipeg Community Living (formerly the Association for Mental Retardation), she and her former husband who was the Executive Director for WCL, helped many formerly institutionalized people join the mainstream communities of schools, churches, group activities and living spaces.
She and her family were also active members of the Habitat for Humanity organization that provides housing through a cooperative building process. Focusing on dignity and inclusion, she worked with selection and community support to those needing housing.

Creating Health

Reflexology As a certified reflexologist, Sherrill became a member of the Board of Directors for the Winnipeg Branch of the Reflexology Association of Canada, promoting profession through both workshops and classes. She continues to offer reflexology treatments through Health Launch and classes for the general public at Red River College in Gimli.
Tai Chi As an instructor and Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Manitoba, Sherrill enjoyed doing and sharing the art of tai chi with the community of Winnipeg for over 10 years. She continues to offer instruction to beginners through both the town of Winnipeg Beach and Red River College. You can often see her demonstrating the tai chi set at the Winnipeg Beach Bandstand in the summers.
Reiki and Quantum Touch Initiated in Level 1 and 2 Reiki, Sherrill added this form of energy healing first to her reflexology practice and now also adds energy work to her massage practice as well. Recent instruction in Quantum Touch has added zip and power to energy sessions with controlled breathing and visualization. Interest in visualization arose during her Master of Neurolinguistics training and has continued to develop through her professional life coach, Vic Lindal, who specializes in end-point visualization for better life performance and health.
Family Communication training through the Satir Professional Development Institute of Manitoba has enhanced her interest in communication and healing for individuals, couples and families. For seven years she worked closely with the Institute, as first Secretary and then Vice-President of the Board Directors. Organizing public workshops, training for professional and personal development included advertising through newspapers, website and newsletter avenues. She currently offers councelling and personal coaching in Winnipeg Beach.
Huna Kane and Lomi Lomi are massage therapy modalities with both emotional and spiritual content. First trained in Winnipeg by Hawaiian instructor and practitioner, she enjoyed six weeks on the Big Island of Hawaii, training with a group of Canadian men and women in both the application and historical roots of this ancient practice.
Basic Remedial Massage Sherrill attended the Wellington College of Remedial Massage in Winnipeg for two years, graduating as a certified basic remedial massage therapist. She continues her education in various massage modalities through her professional membership in the Association of Massage Therapist and Alternative Practioners of Canada. Hot Stone Massage, Joint Play and Myofascial Release are some of her additional skills.

Facilitating Life in the Community for people with disabilities.

Sherrill spent three years as the primary caregiver for daughter of her friend, Nicola Schafer. Catherine, who is unable to walk or speak, provided experience in non-verbal connection as they enjoyed the many activities of the community, including drumming circles, park festivities and activities with the Association for Community Living.
Through her coursework at the University of Winnipeg, while attending a course by Rabbi Neal Rose on Death and Dying, Sherrill interviewed individuals and couples who are currently experiencing life with a family member diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. She attended support groups and workshops provided by the Alzheimer's Society of Winnipeg at this time.
Experienced in sharing the death and dying process with friends and family, Sherrill enjoyed participating in the training offered by Hospice Manitoba.

Personal Interests Include

Gardening and renovating the family cottage at Winnipeg Beach with her husband, Don and cat, Buddha
Visiting her children and their families across Canada. Keeping up with granddaughter, Miranda, through phone and email since her family moved to Newfoundland this year
Supporting political process at Winnipeg Beach with husband, Don. Most recent interest is in developing the Recreation Center as a place of connection and wellness in the community
Dancing with the Sacred Circle Dancers in Gimli and Winnipeg. Developing a Tara Mandela dance group across Manitoba. Singing Canadian folk songs with neighbors in nearby Matlock and Ponemah.
Writing. Recent publications include sharing her experiences with Catherine in Does She Know She's There by Nicola Schaefer and Contributing writer to Breaking Bread, Nourishing Connections: People with and without disabilities together at mealtime. Karin Melberg Schwier & Erin Schwier Stewart, Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co., 2005. Currently she is a member of a writing circle at Rainbow's End, Gull Lake, MB. Facilitated by Dorothy Gauthier-Harapiak, the group supports the grieving and healing process through writing, artwork and discussion. Writing short stories, articles and poems are an important part of Sherrill's creative outlook on life.