Ontario Senior of the Year Award

Edwardsburgh Cardinal - The Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal is proud to announce that Sheila Bush has been named the 2025 Ontario Senior of the Year.

Sheila was formally honoured during a special presentation at the June 30 Council meeting, joined by her family and members of Council. Her selection as the Township’s Senior of the Year celebrates her ongoing generosity, leadership, and dedication to others. Whether through her professional work, community service, or athletic accomplishments, Sheila continues to inspire all those around her.

Born in New Brunswick as Sheila Murray, she moved to Ontario to pursue a career in nursing. After graduating in Kingston, she went on to serve more than 25 years at Winchester District Memorial Hospital as a labour and delivery nurse. Raising eight children with her husband Ken Bush came naturally to Sheila, having grown up in a bustling household herself as the middle child of nine.

Despite the demands of work and family, Sheila continues to be an active and passionate community member. Her involvement has spanned decades and touched many areas of local life. She coached and played girls' hockey and fastball in both Cardinal and Spencerville, supported the family’s sugar bush operation, and held a longtime role with the Spencerville Agricultural Society, including serving as president. She has also been an active member of the Catholic Women’s League in Cardinal and continues to enjoy curling as a dedicated member of the Prescott Curling Club. In addition, Sheila proudly celebrates her family’s rich Scottish heritage by attending and helping to organize Highland Games across our region, supporting her children’s participation in piping, drumming, and Highland dancing competitions.

Sheila has been making impressive strides on the green as a longtime member of both the Prescott Golf Club and Cedar Glen. A familiar face at club tournaments and intersectional championships, she keeps her skills sharp year-round, spending winters golfing in Florida and South Carolina.

In 2023, she captured gold in the Women’s 80+ golf division at the Ontario 55+ Summer Games in Brantford, hosted by the Ontario Senior Games Association (OSGA). She continued her winning momentum in 2024, claiming both the Ontario and Canadian Senior Golf titles, including gold at the Canada 55+ Senior Games in Quebec City. Her remarkable achievements will take her to Utah this October, where she will have the honour of playing at the Huntsman World Senior Games, completing a rare and impressive trifecta in senior golf with titles at the provincial, national, and now international levels.

Deputy Mayor Stephen Dillabough congratulated Sheila on behalf of the Township: “Congratulations, Sheila, on being such a remarkable citizen and role model for all of us.”

The Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal joins the Province of Ontario in recognizing and thanking Sheila Bush for her continued impact and example. Her story is a reminder that community service and personal excellence know no age limit.

Sheila recently celebrated her 90th birthday with the same warmth and energy she brings to everything she does.

About the Ontario Senior of the Year Award

The Ontario Senior of the Year Award is a provincial recognition presented annually by municipalities to outstanding residents aged 65 and older. Administered by the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, the award honours individuals who have enriched the social, cultural, or civic life of their communities after reaching senior status. Recipients exemplify the values of active aging, volunteerism, and lifelong contribution, making a lasting impact on the people and places around them.