‘ Cheerleader for the city’ leaving Welland
Welland staff are bidding farewell to Sarah Ane, the city’s community development and volunteer co- ordinator.
After nine years with the city, Ane has accepted a job in Lincoln as the town’s manager of community development. Wednesday was the last day in the office for Ane, but she will be working during the New Year’s Eve celebration at Welland Community Wellness Complex.
“I will be working the New Year’s Eve event because I want to. It was one of the first events I worked when I got here … I want to go out with a bang,” Ane quipped.
Although Ane lives in Niagara Falls, she said Welland is a special place for her and she’s enjoyed promoting the city.
“I adore this community, the spirit of the people in this city is nothing I’ve ever seen before,.”
Ane said there is a high level of community engagement that she hasn’t seen anywhere else, which she enjoyed being part of.
One particular event that meant a great deal to her was the opening of the Dain City splash pad in 2016. During the grand opening a tree and bench were included as a memorial for Dalton Jacques, who lost his battle with cancer earlier that year.
“It was an a- ha moment that what we do make a huge difference in people’s lives,” Ane said about seeing the Jacques family attend the event.
Ane, who said she is the “biggest cheerleader for the city,” will be missed by co- workers, as well as Mayor Frank Campion. He said working with Ane has been fantastic and that she always brought a positive attitude to the job.
“I always teased her that I’d show up at an event and she’d tell me where to stand and what to do, and there’d be a short speech by the mayor,” Campion said.