Juanita Knight – ARTA’s Person of Vision
Marilyn Bossert | Past President
Tribute at the 2019 ARTA AGM
A Person of Vision sees clearly in
all directions — experiences of the
past, realities of the present, and
aspirations for the future.
Juanita Knight is ARTA’s Person
of Vision.
In her fi fteen years with ARTA,
Juanita has developed an amazing
awareness of who ARTA was, who
ARTA is now, and who ARTA can be.
She portrays this evolution as
ARTA growing “from the
kitchen table to the
dining room table
to the board room
table.”
Juanita
became involved
with ARTA
soon after her
retirement when
she represented her
home branch, WCRTA
(Wolf Creek Retired
Teachers Association), at an ARTA
retreat at St. Edouard in northeastern
Alberta. Shortly thereafter, she came
to the ARTA Board of Directors as
the president of her branch.
Juanita has served either as an
elected member or an ex-offi cio
appointed by the president on every
ARTA committee. In addition to
committee work, she spent three
years as vice president, three years
as president, and two years as
past president.
Bev Mallett described her fi rst
meeting with Juanita. “I fi rst met
Juanita about seven or eight years
ago when I attended the ARTA AGM.
As a fi rst-time attendee at an ARTA
meeting, I knew few people and
almost nothing about what was to
happen. At some point during the
meeting, I was introduced to Juanita,
who was vice president at the time.
She was so warm and welcoming that
I could see myself becoming more
involved in this organization.”
Juanita was described in her
ex-offi cio role on the Wellness
Committee, as a “quiet but
steady guide as our
young committee
found its footing
and role, always
available for
advice and
guidance
for everyone.”
In my fi rst year
on a committee,
Juanita was the
liaison to the editor
on the Communications &
Technology Committee. Her input
at that meeting has stayed with me.
Juanita came to the meeting with her
homework done — her insight and
research made me realize the rest of
us needed to do better.
No obstacle ever deterred Juanita.
The day she was elected to the offi ce
of president, she announced that she
would be undergoing serious heart
surgery the following day. One of
my many thoughts (once I started
breathing again) was, “How will we
keep up with her once her brain has
access to the normal amount
of oxygen?”
During her recovery time, I’m sure
that when she was not sleeping, her
thoughts were still predominantly
of ARTA. At least her recovery was
a time when she did sleep. Those
of us who have stayed at the same
hotel know that she would often be
awake at 3 a.m., pondering new and
improved approaches that would
benefi t the ARTA membership.
Over the past fi fteen years, ARTA
has been Juanita’s passion. That
passion drives her vision, whether
she was contributing to ARTA’s
Looking Ahead (the message that is
exemplifi ed in the ARTA Strategic
Plan), contributing ideas for plan
design for the ARTA Retiree Benefi ts
Plan, creating the advocacy guidelines
for Take Action: Fundamentals
of Advocacy (especially useful at
election time or whenever action is
needed), and in building initiatives
at the committee level. So often, that
passion encouraged and inspired the
rest of us.
ARTA’s Past President Juanita
Knight inspires people to get involved
in ARTA, provides encouragement
and advice, and leads through
example.
To recognize her outstanding
service to ARTA above and beyond
the call of duty, at the 2019 AGM
Juanita was presented an honorary
membership in ARTA and a gold
watch with the inscription, “Thank
you for your kindness, your time and
generous spirit. ARTA.”
On behalf of the entire ARTA
membership, we thank you! You have
been, indeed, ARTA’s Person
of Vision. ●
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