ENTERPRISE
When Sandra McMaster first moved to Enterprise five years ago from the south, she expected to find people much more active.
Sandra McMaster, Enterprise's wellness co-ordinator, encourages active living. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo |
She said she expected to see more traditional aboriginal activities outside "but people were just like they are in Ontario," she recalled. "They're sitting at TVs."
However, McMaster can now help get people more active as the full-time wellness co-ordinator with the Hamlet of Enterprise.
"I'd like to bring out the best in everybody and get them motivated to get out and do things," she said.
The 48-year-old McMaster said wellness means an active and involved community.
"So I've been going more to the people and seeing what they really want to do," she said.
That could be everything from the community garden to Nordic walking in the winter.
"I'm kind of like a motivator, too," McMaster said, noting she participates in a variety of activities to inspire people. "If they see you doing it, it's more apt that people are going to follow you to do it."
McMaster has been the hamlet's wellness co-ordinator since early January.
Before that, she worked for six months as a recreation co-ordinator while another hamlet employee was on maternity leave.
McMaster said recreation co-ordinator and wellness co-ordinator are similar positions.
"It's just kind of a way to bring the community together more and to think of more programs," she said.
In particular, she enjoys organizing community meals.
"That's what I'm good at," she said. "I do all the community meals and I can do the legwork."
McMaster arrived in Enterprise with her husband, Craig, who is now deputy mayor and fire chief with the hamlet. Their two adult daughters have also joined them in the community.
Back in Ontario, the family lived on a farm and McMaster was a stay-at-home mom.
In fact, she said the position as wellness co-ordinator is her first out-of-home job, although she did bake for Winnie's restaurant for several years.
As a wellness co-ordinator, McMaster works in a community of just 100 people, which she said has its advantages over a larger place such as Hay River.
"The money that you get goes further and we put on awesome meals," she said, adding that would not be possible in a larger community. "You'd be feeding too many people."
One of the biggest challenges in being a wellness co-ordinator is never knowing how many people are going to show up for an event.
"You never know if you're going to have enough food if everybody does come out because nobody ever tells you if they're coming, ever," McMaster said. "Even though we say RSVP, nobody calls."
For instance, a recent flea market was cancelled because no one called to say they were going to participate.
Other events have gone ahead, but nobody has shown up, McMaster said. "It's frustrating."
However, despite those challenges, she plans to continue offering a variety of events in Enterprise to promote community wellness.
