Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society’s outgoing executive director expressed confidence that the non-profit organization’s legacy of fostering an atmosphere to enable building community falls in good hands.
“I trust 100 per cent that GNP will move forward in the right direction,” said outgoing director Marita Stermann.
The society’s new executive director, Sari Werezak, has been involved in numerous initiatives, starting at the welcome desk five years ago before becoming the community resources coordinator.
“I have had a diverse role including coordinator for the volunteer tax program, new futures career transition workshops, program registrar, information and referral, often the chair for inter-agency meetings…the list is long,” said Werezak.
That extensive experience leaves no doubt in Stermann’s mind that her former colleague will do well.
“With a strong board, great co-workers and her lead, it will be just fine,” said Stermann.
The former executive director of seven years previously worked roughly 12 years as the society’s program coordinator and also once spent about 18 months facilitating an online correspondence education program for the high school and general public.
Prior to settling in Sundre, Stermann originally immigrated to Penhold from Germany in 1986 on a work permit as a nanny, saying she sought to turn over a new leaf to travel and pursue some hobbies.
“We always want to have more time for our hobbies, for family, for travel and whatnot,” she said.
However, her decision to retire was not made lightly. Over the past two years she has been contemplating when would be the right time.
“I was asking all of my friends, ‘What do you think, what should I do?’”
Their feedback did not make the final decision clear cut. Some of her friends have already retired, while others encouraged her to continue working in a position that provides a valuable contribution to the community, she said.
“I did decide in the end that I wanted to retire. Because this position, you can’t do it halfway,” she said, adding reducing hours was not an option.
“You’re either full in, or you’re not.”
Now that she will have more time to reprioritize her life’s passions, Stermann said she looks forward to spending more time in the garden, renovating the house and working on stained glass projects.
“I like a lot of things — playing my guitar, I haven’t done that forever,” she said.
“So all of these things that I haven’t had time for in the last years, I’d like to pick some of those up again.”
But the society’s offices have not seen the last of Stermann.
“It’s been such an important part of my life. I’ve enjoyed every moment and aspect of it,” she said.
The society has been around since 2000 and Stermann was part of the organization for most of those 19 years.
Among her proudest accomplishments she counts creating and working on the Sundre on the Go newsletter for 12 years and helping start up a community call to action to raise awareness about suicide and support as well as the development of a coordinated response to address elder abuse. Others include obtaining grants and corporate contributions that helped create new programs including the Sundre Community Garden, without which the society’s scope would have been far more limited.
Looking back at her time as the society’s executive director, she did not express any regrets.
“I love programming,” she said, adding she is also passionate about creating new learning opportunities and bringing together people who have never met along the road to building community.
“When I sit here and I see people get together in the boardroom and they talk to each other, they come up with ideas, they laugh together, they think together, create something together — I find that’s so awesome and so inspiring that I feel Sundre is very unique that way. When I see that, I feel very, very happy,” she said.
“Greenwood Neighbourhood Place is enabling community to gather, to come together and really make a difference.”
Stermann fondly recalls an ideal work environment with a team of great people doing the right thing for the community, which largely motivated her to enthusiastically look forward to coming into the office without ever longing to be elsewhere instead.
“I never wanted to miss a day,” she said.
“I wanted to be here and be part of that environment.”
She said organizations such as GNP are important not only to help connect residents with the information about the community, but also to bring together key stakeholders who want to make a difference in the spirit of collaboration, she said.
“A community centre such as this, as a resource place and as a building place, is really key to making a community successful.”
Beyond building proverbial bridges, Werezak said the society also provides a safe place for people to come with their concerns.
“Not only can we try to provide necessary information and referrals to specific agencies, we can offer seniors' assistance, employment services, and run affordable programming for all ages.”
While Werezak said she loved her position as community resources coordinator and could easily have been content remaining in that role, she began to realize becoming the executive director would be a natural transition. Although that would mean stepping outside of her regular comfort zone, she said encouragement from the people in her life persuaded her to consider the position.
“The support, great mentorship and community connections I have already, made this a great opportunity not to be missed,” said Werezak.
Once settled into her new job, she intends to focus on the society’s volunteer centre, keep looking for ideas that will enhance the social well-being of the community and continue seeking out grants.
“The biggest learning curve will be reporting to funding providers and annual budgets. I have the board of directors to answer to making sure GNP’s overall goals and objectives are met.”
