Sometimes building a community of seniors might seem like diving headfirst into the deep end. It’s a good thing that Karin Debenham can tread water as the new executive director at the St. Albert 50+ Club.
“Do I feel maybe like I’m wet past my waistline now? Yeah!” she replied. “My feet got wet the first day but my head’s still above water.”
Debenham comes to the position after a long career in various positions of community development. Her work experience has taken her to the United Way and Alberta Agriculture, even as far abroad as Papua New Guinea where she was involved with the non-profit non-governmental development organization called CUSO (originally known as Canadian University Service Overseas).
She admitted that she’s at the time of her life where she prefers a shorter work commute than to the South Pacific.
“I don’t want to travel for work,” she laughed. “I want to work close to home and I want to be challenged. I’ve really found a good niche here for myself. This is a very, very dynamic centre!”
More recently, she spent the better part of two decades with the Family and Community Support Services departments of Spruce Grove and Morinville.
“I’ve worked in many small communities over the years, lots of rural areas in the province, and Morinville has got to be the community that has more things happening than the vast majority, certainly more than any I’ve experienced. A huge community interest [in Morinville]. Very, very dynamic … strong and active.”
She stated that the 50+ Club is also a very dynamic place with a lot of potential for growth.
Debenham describes herself as a multi-tasker and team builder with passions for gardening and family life. She still has a big heart though. “Not too far down, I’m a softy,” she said.
She started in this new role at the beginning of August but comes with the desire to make lasting positive impacts on the club. Just like a gardener, she said that she wants to help it blossom.
“We are a very significant provider of services for the seniors’ community in St. Albert. I think that the need for those services will grow just as the role of the club in providing for the recreational and social interests of the membership. The seniors’ population is, of course, growing too.”
