By Suzy Alstrin
Reinhardt Emerita Vice President for Advancement and Board of Trustees member JoEllen Wilson (RU-1961)’s service to others earned her the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rotary Club of Canton. The organization strives to make lasting changes in communities worldwide. Past president Francisco Lozano (RU-2003) stated, “Wilson’s lifetime of service above self is an extraordinary story and a treasure for our community.”
The recognition plaque reads, “In recognition of your outstanding leadership and amazing heart for service. You are an inspiration to all of us.” Wilson joined the Rotary Club in 1992 and stated, “The Rotary Club of Canton has been a staple in my life for many years. I believe in our motto: ‘Service Above Self’. Any work done in the name of the Rotary Club benefits others. Therefore, it doesn’t seem like work at all! The New Year will bring opportunities for service and giving back. I certainly plan to do my part.”
Over the past 32 years, Wilson made an impact at the Rotary Club as secretary, treasurer, and president, and currently furthers its mission as vocational service chair, charitable fund committee member, new member mentoring chair, and on the board of directors.
Wilson’s public service doesn’t stop there. Over the decades, she served six terms on the Canton City Council and served as mayor pro-tem from 1996 to 2004. Her incredible community involvement extends to serving as president of the Service League of Cherokee County, Georgia Education Advancement Council, and the Etowah Garden Club, and as vice president of the Cherokee Arts Council, and the Cherokee County Historical Society. Additionally, Wison served as chairperson of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, the Anna Crawford Child Advocacy Board, and Cherokee County United Way, and as a member of the Board of Directors for Funk Heritage Center, Arts Leadership League of Georgia, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Foundation.
Wilson also poured her heart into Reinhardt for over three decades. In 1981, following her role as the director of the Cherokee County Child Development Center, she became the alumni director at her alma mater. Her roles elevated to special assistant to the president, interim vice president for student affairs, and vice president for advancement before retiring in 2015. A consistent supporter of the Rotary Student Program, she assisted the international students attending Reinhardt. She was also president of the Reinhardt College Alumni Association, received the Captain A.M. Reinhardt Award in 2002, and has an endowment scholarship in her name. The Office of Advancement building is named in her honor.
It was when Wilson attended Reinhardt College that she met her future husband, John Wison. They became parents of twin boys who gave them four grandchildren. Her heart for service to others can be traced back to her volunteerism as a new mom in their school and church.
The incredible impact on Cherokee County has not gone unrecognized. In 2009, Canton named a day after Wilson. In 2012, the Chamber of Commerce bestowed the title of Cherokee County First Citizen upon Wilson for her exemplary lifetime of service. In 2017, the local bar association presented Wilson with the Liberty Bell Award, an honor bestowed on a non-lawyer for their efforts. The Rotary Club bestowed numerous other awards.
JoEllen Wilson’s lifetime of service tells the story of a genuine mentor who leads by example. For over 60 years, she made Cherokee County her home and a better place.
