New ideas, more community events, and stronger youth engagement are on the horizon as Abby Quimson officially steps into her new role as Program Coordinator for the Town of Slave Lake.
“This is really right up my alley,” Quimson says during an interview. “Events are really what I love.”
Quimson, who previously worked as an HR and CAO Administrative Assistant with the Town of Slave Lake recently transitioned into the Community Services Department after the position opened earlier this month.
Although she has only been in the role for a few days, she says the opportunity already feels like the perfect fit.
Before joining the town, Quimson had some experiences in community volunteering, helping organize local events through the Filipino community, Beach Fest, and the Multicultural Association.
She says her passion for event planning started long before her new position became available.
“When this role opened, I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is my chance,’” she says.
Quimson officially began her new role on May 4 — a date she joked would be easy to remember because of ‘Star Wars Day.’
While still adjusting to the transition from office administration to a more public-facing position, Quimson says is excited about the possibilities ahead.
“I have so many ideas,” she says.
One of Quimson’s priorities will be expanding programming opportunities for residents of all ages. Existing programs such as Go Girls, YES programs, Summer Splash, and other Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) supported activities will continue, but she hopes to introduce more variety, especially for adults.
“Right now, there are already a lot of sports programs,” Quimson explains. “We want to add more activities that are not sports-related.”
Quimson also plans to work on the upcoming Fall-Winter Guide, which will include activities and events for children, youth, adults, and seniors.
Quimson also says that she will never change the existing programs. She will add more.
And affordability remains a key priority.
“As much as possible, we try to make programs free or affordable,” she said, noting that many FCSS-supported activities are already offered at no cost to participants.
In addition to her new responsibilities as Program Coordinator, Quimson is also continuing her involvement with the Youth Advisory Committee under FCSS, working closely alongside Darcy Comeau and local school representatives
The committee recently saw strong success with its Valentine’s dance, which brought together students from Roland Michener Secondary School, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy, and Lakeside Outreach School.
“The feedback was really good because it wasn’t just one school,” Quimson says. “The kids got to meet students from different schools, and they really enjoyed it.”
Following the success of the Valentine’s event, the Youth Advisory Committee is now preparing for a Halloween dance later this year, along with fundraising activities planned for the end of June.
One upcoming fundraiser will involve a youth-only pool event for students in Grades 7 to 12.
Quimson says community partnerships and volunteers continue to play a major role in the success of local programming and events.
“We’re always open to ideas,” she says. “If organizations or residents have suggestions for activities or events, we’d love to hear from them.”
Residents with program ideas, questions, or feedback can contact Quimson at abby.quimson@slave lake.ca or through the Slave Lake MRC
Julia Magsombol
Lakeside Leader