Saunders is retiring after nearly nine years of successful
advocacy for Vermont seniors. Lemire admits that the shoes
Saunders leaves behind will be hard to fill, but she is
up to the challenge and enjoying the total immersion process
with Saunders until the reins are handed over in December.
Lemire was not looking for a job when she and her husband
moved back to their farm in Weathersfield Bow after a
hiatus of living in Hanover and Claremont, NH. At 59,
most people are doing the countdown to retirement. But
she saw the ad and was moved to apply because of her many
years of experience working for non profits in home health
care, social work and senior advocacy.
"You have to grab an opportunity when it happens,"
says Lemire of her decision. She met the dynamic board
for the Council on Aging and was impressed with their
diversity, breadth of knowledge, and commitment. "This
organization is very lucky to have the board that they
do. I was really taken by them and right away it felt
like a match," says Lemire.
The old farm, where Lemire and her husband settled in
1977 to raise sheep, and later two daughters adopted from
India, was going to be her focus. Although the sixty sheep
have gone and the daughters are grown, Lemire and her
husband have plans to embark on a new agricultural adventure,
plans that may take a back seat for a while as Lemire
adjusts to her new job. "We plan to grow cold hardy
grapes for winemaking on seven of our acres," she
says. "We're in the early stages now, preparing the
land and putting up fencing."
Farming is a long step away from Lemire's career path
in social services, but indicative of her wide ranging
interests and willingness to take risks. The Masters in
Social Work that she earned from Fordham University led
her to a job as a social worker for the Vermont Department
of Health, where she did home visits related to child
development.
While living in Claremont she was Vice President of Patient
Services for Valley Regional Hospital, where she oversaw
seventeen departments with a staff of 160. But she is
most proud of her four years working for the Claremont
Senior Center, which she helped establish and spearheaded
the funding process for construction of their new building.
"I felt like I achieved everything I set out to do
there, especially the programming that we ran five days
a week," she says.
Lemire's experience in relationship building and management
has prepared her well for the new challenges at the Council
on Aging. She oversees a staff of more than thirty, who
run programs in nutrition, health and wellness, transportation,
respite care, and case management.
"The staff really cares about what they do, and
my confidence in them allows me to go out and fight the
good fight over the many complex issues affecting Vermont
seniors today," says Lemire. Indeed, today's elders
nationwide face increased pressures over prescription
drug costs, fuel assistance and adult day care services.
A high level of advocacy is required to ensure fairness
and high quality care for all seniors.
And in her calm, clear-eyed way Lemire will strengthen
the community ties that can support the needs of elders.
Although the opportunity to do so came at a time she expected
to be putting up fencing for her vineyard, she clearly
wants to do the work.
"We live in a TGIF society," observes Lemire.
"People are doing work they don't enjoy. We spend
so much time at our jobs, so why spend years doing work
we don't love? I'm excited about this job, I really am."
The Council on Aging, its staff, and the countless elders
they serve are banking on Lemire loving her new career.
