For those people visiting the Barrhead and District FCSS there are days they may feel the absence of long time FCSS employee, Linda Mueller.
For nearly a decade, Mueller in one form or another, has been connected with Barrhead’s FCSS, but on Friday, Oct. 23, her association with the organization ended.
“It was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life,” Mueller said about her decision to leave Barrhead’s FCSS, where she was the executive director. “My heart wanted to stay, but my brain said it was time to go and seek out new challenges. It wasn’t for any reason. I love the community of Barrhead and the people at the FCSS.”
The opportunity Mueller is speaking about is the one of Wetaskiwin’s FCSS manager, a position she started officially on Monday, Oct. 26.
“I just completed an additional graduate program through Royal Roads University and acquired new skills and I was ready to be challenged in a different way,” she said.
Mueller first started her career with Barrhead FCSS in 2006 when she became the organization’s first Parent Link co-ordinator.
Parent Link provides programming and support to families with children up to six years old. They offer programs such as learning through play, introduction to music and arts, early literacy programs, and support for parents.
While Mueller was the Parent Link co-ordinator she said she was able to secure funding through bursaries to further her education.
This enabled her to take advantage of her next career opportunity, as FCSS executive director.
“I can actually still remember the exact day I took over as executive director, May 2, 2011,” she said.
One of the projects Mueller said she is glad to have been associated with is FCSS’s move to their present location in the spring of 2014.
“The move gave us so much more flexibility,” she said. “The old building (which now has been demolished) was so cramped and it really didn’t give us the ability to do everything we wanted to do.”
Another thing Mueller looks back fondly on is being able to work with long-time Barrhead resident and community activist Adolf Bablitz.
In addition to being a town coucillor for 21 years, Bablitz was involved with the Agricultural Society board for about 27 years, and served as an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, Twinning Committee, Kinsmen Club, and Barrhead FCSS board of directors.
“He was actually chairman of the board when I was hired and he played a huge role in me becoming the FCSS executive director.
However, she said the thing she is most proud of about her career in Barrhead is being able to be a part of one of the most unique and successful FCSS programs in the province.
Although in Alberta there are more than 200 FCSS organizations, to her knowledge Barrhead is the only one that isn’t run by the municipality.
“Barrhead FCSS is a non-profit society, which is governed by a board of volunteer community members, with council (town and county) representation,” she said, adding in most communities, including Wetaskiwin, the FCSS is an offshoot of the municipal government. “It’s a huge difference and one I think Barrhead residents should be really proud of.”
By being their own entity, Mueller said it allows the Barrhead FCSS to run a number of different programs, which are not normally run by the FCSS. For instance, programs such as the Food Bank, Santa’s Toy Box and Coats for Kids.
As for what Mueller will miss most about Barrhead, she said that is simple, the people.
“The people of Barrhead are some of the most generous people you will ever encounter anywhere,” she said. “If the residents see there is a need, they will do their utmost to see that it is filled.”
She also said people don’t have to be worried about the future of FCSS.
“It is in great hands,” she said. “The people who work at Barrhead’s FCSS are some of the most dedicated, caring and skilled people that I or anyone else will ever encounter.”
