NORTHFIELD — Colleen Letourneau has been hired as the new Senior Center director. Her first day on the job will be Tuesday, July 6.
Letourneau, a Greenfield resident with 30 years of experience working in long-term care, is replacing Rebecca “Becky” Sommer-Petersen, who announced in March her plans to relocate to her home state of North Carolina, closer to her family.
Speaking to the Selectboard last week, Letourneau said she has worked as a director of social services in nursing homes, in short-term rehabilitation and in other areas of social work with children.
“Seniors are really my cup of tea,” she said. “I have always enjoyed that population.”
Selectboard Chair Heath Cummings noted that most of Letourneau’s professional experience is from within the Pioneer Valley, and asked what attracted to her to the position in Northfield.
“I’ve been working the field in social work, in nursing homes, for 30 years and I just wanted to try something where I could use all my experience, I could use my connections and still work with seniors,” Letourneau replied.
Letourneau also noted that she has established connections with organizations like LifePath in Greenfield and Highland Valley Elder Services in Northampton. She said she wants to continue working with seniors and find ways to combat the feeling of isolation that many may have felt over the past year.
“I just want to get them back to feeling comfortable in their skin and in their community, and bring some joy to their lives,” Letourneau said.
Possible Senior Center activities may include educational programs, music and outdoor events, or even teaching how to make her “famous pickles,” she said with a laugh. She also said Council on Aging Chair Frank Froment is interested in a trip to see a baseball game at the new WooSox stadium in Worcester.
During a meeting on May 18, Selectboard members met with Froment to discuss and approve a new job description for the Senior Center director. The review of changes addressed certification, education and experience, with a goal of addressing the social and psychological well-being of senior residents, and providing more programs. Last week, the Selectboard approved a new classification for the position based on these changes.
Town Administrator Andrea Llamas, Selectboard member Barbara “Bee” Jacque and a member of the Finance Committee met to review the job description and determine a new wage rate of $30.34. Llamas noted various changes to the job description, including added responsibilities that have grown out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For example, after much time spent at home for seniors, Llamas said community outreach has become a higher priority for a Senior Center director. Additionally, she said, the town wanted to “step up” its necessary qualifications for a Senior Center director to reflect what it wanted to see in responding applicants.
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.