Local Champions: June Taffee

To celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth we interviewed local well-being champions and leaders within our community.

Meet June!

Now retired, she worked as Substitute Clerk and Receptionist for 36 years for Shawnee Public Schools. She was also formerly the Librarian at Horace Mann. "After I retired, I needed something to do that would benefit the community". She joined the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary Group in 2004 and was also over The Miss Black Shawnee Pageant for 5 years.   

We asked June what her favorite Power9 Principle was, and here is her response.

"I believe it’s important to know your Purpose" This year the Shawnee Educational Foundation is rewarding my husband, James Taffee, for his 37 years of service to the community." He was dearly loved by his faculty, students and parents. After June retired from her 36 years of service to the education of Shawnee youth, she too realized the importance of purpose and has devoted her time to groups that benefit the community- the Salvation Army Women's Auxillary Group, the Miss Black Shawnee Pageant, and the YMCA.                                                           

Belong - She mentioned she has been a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church for a year. Until covid hit she attended church on a regular basis, she hasn't been able to go full service much due to the pandemic.                                                                                                                                

We asked June to explain what #BlackHistoryMonth means to her.

She said. It’s important to me because I can relate to black history. I attended to Langston University, at the time it was an all-black college. My husband and I both did. I had several teachers that taught me a lot of black history. It’s very important to me, I like to see black people prosper as much as possible. That is very important to me. "I was a big fan of Martin Luther King; he was one of my favorite idols". I also enjoy watching black history movies on tv, they can be depressing, but that’s how it was back then. Hopefully it will change one day. There were a lot of pioneers in Shawnee, most of them are gone, but I loved listening to them to learn what they went through.

We are so grateful to have connected with June to help us better understand why well-being is important to her life radius. Thank you, June for being a leader in our community! We also appreciate The Shawnee Family YMCA for valuing members and community wellness!

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