INNISFAIL – It has been a long and rewarding road for Sherri McAllister’s service to the community and beyond.
In 1983 she began her career as a social worker for youth at Innisfail’s Rockwood House Group Home.
Six years later she was still serving the community when McMan Central was created in 1989 at the six-bed group home.
The name changed to McMan Place.
McAllister is still with the organization. For the past 23 years she has been McMan Central’s executive director.
“I've been around. I've been, I guess, the most seasoned executive director of the province,” said McAllister with a light-hearted chuckle.
On May 28 at Innisfail’s Centennial Park, she had many reasons to be radiant and in high spirts with staff and friends as her organization was celebrating the 50th anniversary of the McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association, the parent organization of McMan Central.
There were many smiles and overall good cheer.
Bruce Rafuse, director of programs for McMan Central, was cheerfully cooking up hamburgers and hotdogs.
Dixie McLeod, director of business and operations, was keeping everything organized.
And there was a big 50th anniversary cake ready to be cut and tasted in the Rotary Club of Innisfail Cookhouse.
McMan Central is one of four regions created by McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association, a not-for-profit social service agency, after its first program was unveiled in 1975 by four graduates of Edmonton’s Grant MacEwan Community College.
“They had a vision. They shared a philosophy. They wanted to create a home environment for youth,” said McAllister. “Through their relationships they had going through college, they sought funding and finally being successful, they opened a group home in the downtown core of Edmonton.
“The founders built that initiative and then went on to support independent living for youth,” she added. “And then they moved across the province.”
Fifty years later, the expansion includes McMan Edmonton and North, McMan South, McMan Calgary, and finally McMan Central.
“We were the last piece of the McMan puzzle,” said McAllister of her region’s creation. “It's just grown exponentially well over the years.
“In the central region, we have everything from prevention, early intervention right through to high risk and seniors, which is something we have always had as a strategy, and it's taken almost 36 years to get there.”
Each of the four regions has its own autonomy, regional executive director, and a regional board.
“We share the same mission, the same values. That doesn't change,” said McAllister, adding two members of each regional board sit on the provincial board. “They ultimately govern the organization, and we are part of that board.”
McMan Central currently has its offices in downtown Innisfail.
They have grown to be an essential part of the community and throughout Central Alberta.
The organization’s program reach extends north to Red Deer, Lacombe, and Wetaskiwin; northeast to Stettler; southeast to Drumheller, west to Rocky Mountain House, and south to Olds.
McMan works from its mission to support and encourage individuals to meet their full potential in its communities.
“We have our family resource network that Jenny Crumley runs that has home visitation,” said McLeod. “We have family support, as well as all sorts of groups and programs that families can attend free of charge.
“We also have our foster care program, where we have foster homes for children who are in custody of the province,” she added. “We have our social prescribing seniors’ program in Innisfail, as well as our mental health in schools’ partnership with Chinook’s Edge (School Division).
“It could be sort of anything from system navigation to mental health supports to parenting challenges to community connection and engagement.”
To make this mission successful for McMan Central after 36 years, it takes teamwork, says McAllister.
“In Central Alberta alone we have a team of 150 people that are contributing to the success of our children, youth, families, adults, and seniors. It takes that team to make it all happen,” said McAllister. “I look back on my group home days and I still am in touch with some of the kids who are now adults, and some of them grandparents.
“That's really powerful.”
