Board of Directors

Ms. Sherri Reid
President
Sherri joined the Board in 2006 and currently serves as President. She brings a great deal of financial wisdom and experience to her role on the Board and has served many years on the Finance Committee supporting the improvement of systems the agency currently uses. She first came to learn about BGC through her position with our critical partner, Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools as the Associate Superintendent of Business. Sherri is proud of the wide range of services that the club provides to a diverse and large variety of children, youth and families in our community.
Sherri enjoys her winters traveling highway 2 to watch her son Evan play hockey with the Red Deer Rebels Hockey Club and her summers on the golf course.

Mr. Brandon Funk
Vice-President
Brandon joined BGC as a child when he attended the Summer Day Camp Program at the age of 8. He has spent many years participating, working and volunteering for the Club ever since. He is currently attending University of Alberta Augustana Campus finishing up his Kinesiology Degree. When home visiting his parents, Stephen and Wanda, he drops in the club where all the kids know his name.
He enjoys playing basketball and other sports in his spare time and is told that he makes a mean salmon salad.

Mrs. Shannon Dewald
Treasurer
Shannon joined the Board of Directors in the spring of 2011 and currently fills the position of Secretary-Treasurer and serves on the Finance Committee. She works with the local Public School Board as the Director of Business Services and shares her valuable financial education and experience with our Agency. Shannon believes that BGC Wetaskiwin has so much to offer the communities that we work in and she is inspired and motivated by the stories that she hears about the agency making a difference in the lives of children, youth and families.
With what little spare time that Shannon can put together she loves to spend time with her family, camping and playing hockey.
Shannon is married to Scott and has 3 busy children; Ashley, Jaedyn and Taylor.

Mrs. Nicole Harris
Secretary
Nicole first came to know BGC Wetaskiwin after her son, Jackson started attending the Early Learning and Childcare Centre in 2011 when he was 1, she then joined the Board in 2014. Nicole appreciates all the programming that is offered to our community by our amazing staff for all the children, youth and families that we serve.
Nicole and her family love to travel to the mountains.

Mr. Brian Hockin
Director
Brian joined the Board of Directors in 2008 and throughout his time he has served as Director and Vice-President. He first came to know of BGC Wetaskiwin when his children attended club programs. Brian appreciates the positive programs and supports that the agency provides to children and families in our community and is proud that of the fact that, as a non-profit organization resources are used effectively and efficiently. Brian brings a wealth of education and experience to our agency and has served on the Finance, Board Development and Personnel Committees leading the development of many management tools that strengthen our operations.
Brian currently works for Disability Services in the Edmonton Region as a Contract Specialist. In his spare time he enjoys doing mechanical repairs on vehicles, swimming, biking, camping, fishing and spending time with his family.
Brian has lived in Wetaskiwin for the past 15 years with his wife, Kimberly, daughters Brooke and Mariah – both currently attending university and sons Joel, soon to graduate High School and Adam, soon to enter high school.   

Ms. Tristan Zielke
Director
Tristan’s first experience with BGC Wetaskiwin was as a summer counsellor in the summer of 2006 and has always stayed connected as a seasonal staff, volunteer or fundraiser ever since. Tristan completed her Bachelor of Education at the University of Alberta and currently teaches grades 2 and 3.
Tristan joined the Board in 2013 and truly cares about the experiences that children receive and believes that the Club offers high quality programs that are valuable to our community and is truly a great place to be!

Mr. Bill Elliot
Director
Bill, a Director on the Board since 2018 first came into contact with BGC Wetaskiwin through his teaching position at Centennial School, as a number of his students were going to programs at the Club. As a City Councilor for 21 years and Mayor for 7 years, Bill visited the Club many times becoming more informed about our services, building relationships with staff, and through his involvement with the creation of the Early Learning and Child Care Centre and Pink Shirt Day. Bill is impressed with the quality and variety of the Club’s program delivery available for youth of all ages and their parents, as well as the very dedicated and caring staff.
Bill has Bachelor of Physical Education (BPE) degree (from U of A, Edmonton) and a Master of Education (M.Ed) in Administration (from University of Victoria). He is dedicated to lifelong learning continuing to take classes at the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus. Currently, he is enrolled in “Building Capacity for Reconciliation” workshops.
Bill became an Honorary Witness at the 2014 Truth and Reconciliation Hearings, in Edmonton. His commitment as an Honorary Witness is to be an advocate for Reconciliation for the rest of his life.
Bill enjoys spending time with his wife Arlene, children, and grandchildren with many hours of watching sporting/school/dance activities and traveling in his 5th wheel trailer . In addition he volunteers his time on the Boards of the Health Foundation, Horizons Centre, and Community Library, as well as a member of the Walkable Wetaskiwin committee, Yellowhead Regional Library Executive, the Lt. Governor Arts Awards Gala, and as Chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee at Pe Sakastew Healing Centre, in Maskwacis.
Giving back to the community and trying to leave the world a better place is his life goals.

Mrs. Brandy Lund
Director
Brandy joined the Board of Directors in 2019 after researching volunteer opportunities in the not-for-profit sector within the City of Wetaskiwin. She landed on the BGC board after admiring their strong presence in the community and realizing that the Club’s delivery of well-rounded programs aligned with what she believes is important to the community.
Brandy is self-employed and is the owner of a successful small business for over 20 years. Her perseverance and dedication to operating in a small market city for so many years is a great accomplishment.
Brandy is married to her husband Wyatt and together they are raising their teenage daughter, Kylie, which Brandy believes is her greatest accomplishment.
She enjoys traveling, reading, and recently started to research her family ancestry. Brandy is committed to life-long learning, always advancing her knowledge and education in the Esthetics industry as she believes education is important to personal growth.

Mrs. Jamie Park-Nelson
Director
Jamie grew up in the City of Wetaskiwin always aware of the Club but never understanding the full extent of the organization until she started her career with the Mental Health Capacity Building Project, a strong partner of BGC Wetaskiwin. Jamie joined the Board of Directors in 2020, looking for a meaningful way to stay connected and support the community. She really appreciates the holistic program delivery approach, for children, youth, and the extension of supportive services to families. Jamie’s values align strongly with the organization values of inclusivity, acceptance, and compassion.
Jamie is a Social Worker at the Wetaskiwin Community Health Services, under Children’s Rehabilitation Services and really enjoys working with families.
Jamie married her “high school sweetheart” in 2017. They have a fur-child, Ellie and are excited to be adding a new member to their little family, as they are expecting a baby girl in October 2020. In her personal time Jamie enjoys the mountains, watching any and all movies, and being with family.

Mr. Shadi Rahbani
Director
Shadi joined the Board of Directors in March of 2021, shortly after getting his law degree from the University of Alberta. As a lawyer, he works full-time in his hometown of Wetaskiwin, where he has always wanted to come back and make a difference for people in need. In addition to being a member of the Board Development Committee, he feels very privileged to be able to use his expertise to assist the BGC. Having lived in Wetaskiwin for more than 20 years, he is well-acquainted with what the BGC does for the people in the community, and he jumped at the opportunity to join the Board as a volunteer.

Mr. Tyson Lazaruk
Director
Tyson’s journey with the Boys and Girls Club of Wetaskiwin started as a Summer Day Campus employee in May 2002. That first summer was impactful as it fostered an appreciation for what the Boys and Girls Club does in communities, as well as a personal desire to help support the BGC mission. He continued to work within the BGC Summer Program for the next 5 years, eventually becoming a full-time employee after completing an Arts degree from UAlberta's Augustana Campus and an Education degree from Concordia University. After leaving to teach English in Japan, Tyson returned to Canada and immediately reconnected with the BGC as a Board Director in 2009. Other than a two-year break to again travel overseas, this time to complete a Masters Degree in Business in Melbourne, Australia, Tyson has continued to serve as a volunteer board member since his initial involvement in 2009.
Tyson currently works at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Engineering as a Teaching and Student Support Specialist. Originally from Millet, he currently resides in Edmonton with his wife and three young children. What little free time he has is spent drinking coffee, sampling craft beer and listening to far too many podcasts about politics and sports.

Our History

1988 BGC Wetaskiwin registered as a Society with the province of Alberta. Located upstairs at 5101 50th Avenue, joining Big Brothers/Big Sisters
1989 Wetaskiwin Youth Centre was formed joining Big Brothers Big Sisters and BGC, sharing one governing board.
1992 The Wetaskiwin Youth Centre purchased the building at 5109 - 51 St and relocated there.
1997 Inception of the Family Support Program.
2001 Inception of the Enrichment Program.
2002 Inception of the Supported Summer Day Camp Program.
2005 In partnership with the Anti-Bullying Coalition, an Anti-Bullying Program was offered to the community of Wetaskiwin.
2007 Inception of the Big Brothers Big Sisters In-School Mentoring Program.
2008 Inception of Millet Out of School Care Program.
2009 Inception of the Wetaskiwin Early Learning and Child Care Centre located at 4013 - 48 St.
2010 Inception of Licensed Out of School Care in Wetaskiwin.
Dissolution of Big Brothers Big Sisters Society.
2011 Inception of Stars Mentoring Program.
Wetaskiwin Early Learning and Child Care Centre received Accreditation through the Accreditation of Early Learning and Care Services.
2012 Robert B. Colborne donated the Child Care Centre/Family Support Program building to BGC Wetaskiwin. Inception of Rogers Raising the Grade Program.
2013 Inception of Norwood Out of School Care site in partnership with WRPS, renamed Clubhouse Out of School Care in 2017.
2014 BGC Drayton Valley, operated by Wetaskiwin commenced operations with 4 Out of School Care programs.
2016 Out of School Care programs in Drayton Valley received Accreditation.
Child Care Centre outdoor space renovation completed.
2017 Colborne family donated vacant land to the society.
Norwood Out-of-School program move to the CB McMurdo Centre and was renamed Clubhouse Out-of-School Care.
2018 Renovation of front entrance and lobby of downtown facility.
2020 Inception of the Family Resource Network.
Inception of HUB for the communities of Wetaskiwin, Ponoka, Rimbey, and surrounding areas.