For all his success, both professionally and personally, Jim Hendry hasn’t done well at the retirement thing.
Since departing from The Examiner in 2014 after a 32-year newspaper career, Hendry hasn’t come up for air. He has found, and continues to look for, opportunities to volunteer his time and talents to the benefit of his community. Sitting back with his feet up hasn’t been, and still isn’t, an option. Retirement, it would seem, can wait for a bit.
Born in Peterborough, Hendry moved with his family to Cobourg, returning to the city in 1982 for a job as a reporter with The Examiner. Over the following years, he rose through the ranks, serving as the daily newspaper’s weekend editor, city editor, editorial editor page and, finally, managing editor. A true professional who strove to report news factually and balanced, he was awarded a number of Ontario Newspaper Awards as well as the Harry Britain Fellowship Award granted by the Commonwealth Press Union.
Upon calling it a day with The Examiner, the road was clear for Hendry to pursue other interests, bringing to the table informed insights into Peterborough’s political and social challenges.
As a regular panelist for YourTV’s Politically Speaking, Hendry has provided fact-based opinions on the state of affairs at Peterborough City Hall and elected representatives’ performance, or lack thereof. And since retiring, he has written two editorials per week for The Examiner.
Over the past six years, the United Way of Peterborough and District has been a huge benefactor of Hendry’s passion for the place he calls home and those who need a hand up. First as a board member, then as the board chair and most recently as campaign cabinet chair, Hendry has wholly committed himself to the United Way’s mission while inspiring others to do likewise.
Other local entities that have progressed from Hendry’s board involvement include the ReFrame Film Festival as well as the Kawartha Golf and Country Club.
If these contributions aren’t enough to put Hendry into a volunteer class of his own, consider the countless hours he has contributed to ensuring newcomers to the city are felt welcome and valued.
Currently a lead member of a group supporting three Syrian refugee families, Hendry has hosted six Canada World Youth exchange participants, an American Field Services youth exchange participant, and a Belarusian boy displaced by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Collectively, that humanitarian work earned him Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow, the highest honour bestowed by the international service club.