McMan’s new executive director hopes to ‘continue on the great work’

By Jeremy Appel on November 7, 2017.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel

Millie Beckel made her return to southern Alberta as the new executive director of Medicine Hat’s McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association.

Originally from Lethbridge, Beckel was working with community living agencies in the Vancouver area prior to Oct. 16, when she began her role at McMan.

“It’s a great organization with a really great bunch of people working here,” she said, adding that previous positions have prepared her for this role.

“I’ve been working with families and children for (25) years and many people with multiple barriers to access communities and live the lives they want to.”

Keeping up McMan’s good work is her major goal as its new executive director.

“There’s nothing I can see that needs to be changed right now at all. They should just continue on with the great work they’re doing,” she said.

“It’s only been a few weeks, so it’s hard to know.”

One issue Beckel would like to see addressed is expanding rural access to community services, which is a problem that is by no means confined to southern Alberta.

“Access to support in more of these rural areas is difficult,” she said. “We’re right along the highway so we can see what else we can do.”

McMan already provides support to rural areas, like Pincher Creek, but Beckel said she’d like to see it expanded.

“Within the agency, I really look forward to working with all the great staff and leader here, and all the great people we’re looking to support,” she said. It’s a pretty amazing opportunity and I’m happy to have been offered it.”

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