Senior of the Year

The Senior of the Year award recognizes a senior who is making a difference in the community through leadership, volunteering, helping others, or participating in activities.
 
The Senior of the Year for 2019 has been awarded to Sister Elizabeth Rachel Lee, known by friends and family as Betty Rae.
 
Born in St. Mary’s in 1942, Betty Rae joined the Presentation Congregation in St. John’s in 1960. Starting in the 1990’s she served as President of the Atlantic Region of the Canadian Religious Conference and as President of the International Presentation Association. In the latter position she planned and participated in gatherings promoting care for the earth and for those kept poor, which were held in New York, Australia and India. She also supported Presentation missions in Zambia and Zimbabwe and volunteered in Dominica at a vocational training centre supporting at-risk youth.

The advocacy and leadership that Betty Rae exhibited abroad is reflective of the leader she is at home. In St. John’s she serves as the volunteer Board Chair at The Lantern and Board Co-Chair at The Gathering Place. She was elected to the Presentation Sisters’ provincial Leadership Team and serves as their Congregational Leader. As part of her duties as Congregational Leader, she oversees the Sisters that live in St. John’s and, alongside the Leadership Team, is ensuring for their continued care. As part of this effort, she played a leading role in the transfer of St. Patrick’s Convent to the City of St. John’s.