Services and staffing have expanded over the last number of months at Summit Services Society, a long-time non-profit business, and more is set to come.
Summit continues to promote community well-being, provide a continuum of quality, accessible, client-centered support, childcare, and intervention services in Cranbrook and Kimberley for over half a century.
The organization recently welcomed new Executive Director Martina Danzer during a recent AGM, who will lead the team of staff into its 52nd year of operations.
Danzer brings a diversity of skills from her varied life experiences and management roles. She will manage a team of people, including the newly appointed Childcare Director Cheryl Anderson and Community Program Director Jodie Roberts, while also looking for ways to continue funding the non-profit’s programs.
Anderson has taken on the task of opening the new Rocky Mountain Childcare facility in Marysville, which Summit will operate.
She will also oversee all seven existing childcare programs and support each program’s manager as Summit navigates new childcare models and pricing. The Rocky Mountain Childcare facility is slated to open early in the new year after supplies and staff are in place.
The new facility will employ about 35 people once it is licensed and fully opened.
Community Program Director Jodie Roberts oversees all the community support programs including Stopping the Violence Counselling, Community and Police-Based Victims Services, Community Outreach, Men’s Group, Seniors Helping Seniors, One Stop and the newly launched Sexualized Assault Services and Better at Home (Kimberley) programs.
The Sexualized Assault program has been running for almost a year and has been very busy, according to Summit. The successful program collaborates closely with Victim’s Services and has provided education sessions at the Mount Baker Secondary School, The Foundry and Community Connections, as well as assisting with over 70 clients so far.
Better at Home (Kimberley) was launched in June and is seeking both volunteers to assist people to stay in their homes and clients who require some assistance to make staying in their own home a reality.
The services they provide include light housekeeping, minor home repairs, some yard work, snow removal, grocery shopping assistance, some transportation, and friendly visits.
The non-profit is overseen and guided by a volunteer board of nine people with Aaron Higgs as incoming Chair; he takes over from long time board member Deb Saffin. Higgs manages Nupqu Resource Limited Partnership and has been a member of the board since 2020.
He says he is looking forward to leading Summit Community Services Society as it grows and meets the growing needs in the community and continues the valuable work of the various programs.
