Joanna Spiller retires from Fiesta Day Committee

Joanna clowns around while directing traffic at “Under the Big Top” Fiesta Day 2015. Photo by Donna Ritchie

After 15 years of service, Joanna Spiller has retired from the Fiesta Day Committee and her position as chairperson. Joanna joined the committee in 2002 and served as the booth organizer and treasurer. In 2006, the committee elected her as the chairperson. From 2006 to 2017, she served as both the chairperson and treasurer.

“I enjoyed doing it and I worked with a lot of great people but I felt that it was time to retire and let someone else take over so that I could have a little more time for me,” said Joanna.

The committee nominated Joe Grasso to take over Joanna’s position as chairperson. At the Nov. 7 POA Board of Directors Regular Session Meeting, the Board of Directors approved the committee’s nomination and appointed Joe the new chairperson. “Joe will be a great chairperson. He’s experienced, works great with people and has been on the committee a long time,” said Joanna.

The Fiesta Day Committee works with the POA to put together Fiesta Day, an annual community-wide event that takes place the Saturday of Memorial weekend. Fiesta Day, considered the granddaddy of all Canyon Lake events, has been the opening event for the summer for more than 40 years. The event attracts well over 5,000 visitors.

Now that she’s retired from the committee, Joanna is looking forward to being able to help the Lions Club and Lioness Club with their booths at next year’s Fiesta Day. “It’s something I haven’t been able to do since serving on the Fiesta Day Committee and I’m looking forward to it,” she said.

Joanna plans to continue her volunteer work in the other Canyon Lake clubs she belongs to. She has been a member of the Lioness Club for 27 years and has served in several positions on the club’s Board of Directors, including president for three terms and treasurer for the past 10 years. She joined the Lion’s Club in 2004 and has been serving as the club’s treasurer for the past eight years.

Joanna has been a member of the Women’s Golf Club since 1988 and a member of the Woman’s Club since the early 90s. She’s served as president and several other board positions in both clubs.

In addition to her volunteer work in Canyon Lake, Joanna is involved with “Honor Flight Southland,” an organization that escorts veterans on trips to Washington D.C. She escorted a WWII Air Force veteran to Washington D.C. in October 2015 and a WWII Navy veteran in 2016.

Joanna was recognized for her community work in 2013 when she was named “Volunteer of the Year” and in 2014 when she received the “Citizen of the Year” award.

Joanna said she learned about helping and serving others when she joined Theta Rho Girls Club as a teenager. Its motto is, “Happiness through service.”