By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
The Center for Life Experiences, a Hays-based organization that helps area residents with grief after the loss of loved ones this summer will now face its own loss, following the retirement of longtime Executive Director Ann Leiker.
Leiker has led the organization for around 20 years, she said, and served another 10 as a social worker in the community.
“I have loved every minute and been so honored to meet and talk with the people that the center has reached out to,” Leiker said. “It's so wonderful to see the center also having grown and welcoming more people."
“She's just done an incredible job for us,” said Alan Scheurman, Center for Life Experiences board member. “She's so empathetic toward people and continued to provide her expertise and skill level along with her past life experiences as well.”
Now he said they are hoping to replace Leiker with someone who can move the organization into the future.
“We hope that someone will step up and possibly take on responsibilities (with the same) passion that she had towards this type of an organization,” Scheurman said. “We obviously need someone who's dedicated and passionate about doing this type of work.”
Leiker said in the course of the position she has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the center and facilitating different support groups.
Currently, the center hosts regular meetings including Healing after Loss, for those that are healing after loss for loss of an adult, Healing after Loss of Suicide, for families and people who have lost someone to suicide and Healing Hearts, for families who have lost a child.
The organization also hosts events throughout the year, including the Healing Kids Hearts retreat, for children from 7 to 12 years old who have experienced a loss.
“I'm responsible for kind of coordinating and facilitating all those kinds of things as well as making sure we get our bills paid and making sure we welcome people and talk to people,” Leiker said.
As the search for a replacement is underway, she said meetings would continue and the center would continue operating.
And while she is stepping down from her leadership role, she would continue to support the center.
“I'm going to be around now and then helping through the transition,” Leiker said. “But … I'm turning the big seven-zero this year. And so I’ll time to take a little time to travel and do some things from just for the fun of it and for myself. And volunteer some in the community and just keep active.”
While she steps away, the board will search for an individual that brings the right mix of skills into the position as they led area residents to work through their grief and loss.
“People need to know they're not alone,” Leiker said. “They have other people to help them walk through that and to grow and to move forward with their life. Not move on, but move forward and not forgetting.”
Scheurman said he is optimistic a good fit will be found.
“I think there are people that have that commitment and ability,” he said. “I think there are a lot of (potential candidates). Their education and their background lead them towards that type of a group setting and being able to work with people. And I think that's the main emphasis when we look at people what they can or cannot do, they need to have that type of passion towards that type of work.”
While Leiker brought to the position a background in social work, it is not a requirement.
“I want to encourage anyone and I think even social work, psychology, anything in the human services area that that has some education with it, is what the board is hoping to look for,” she said. “So social work is a nice fit, because of our skillset. But there are a lot of other there are some other areas too, that the person can have their education and have that capacity to, to understand.”
But anyone with an interest is encouraged to apply.
“We'll be happy to take any applications that are said to us, we'll review them,” Scheurman said. “Our board is actively sending out feelers at this point in time, both to the university here in town and to other places to provide us with possible interested parties.
“We hope to find the right person and I think that's the most important part,” he continued. “We could set timelines, but we need to be reasonable about it. We need to make sure that whoever takes his position that fits the agenda and the operation that we're currently leading and see if they want to proceed forward and expand upon.”
