Whitefish Community Center's new managers hope to expand offerings

The Whitefish Community Center has roots in the community that date back to the 1970s and it provides expansive services, especially for the senior population.

Heading into the new year, the center has two new site managers who wholeheartedly believe in the service they currently provide to the elderly, but also want to see the organization expand. Rhonda Fisher and Jana Steck joined the Community Center in October after both of the previous managers retired. Both were looking for a career change and a job where they could provide helpful service to others.

“If I’m going to work, I really like for it to be something where I can feel like I’m really doing something important,” Steck said. “Like giving back to the community, or whatever it may be. So that was really a big part of it for me.”

Fisher added that after some life changes she wanted a job where she was close to home, that was part time and also allowed her to serve people.

“For me it just checked all of my boxes,” Fisher said.

Though Fisher and Steck have only been working there for a couple of months, they already are brainstorming ways they can improve what the center has to offer the community.

They agree that likely the most significant program they facilitate currently is the Meals on Wheels program for the elderly. The program provides homemade meals to help address senior hunger and isolation.

The center also has a variety of classes, from yoga to tai chi, but all designed for Whitefish’s senior population. The new managers are looking to keep those services going strong, while also designing programs that serve varying age groups.

“There’s a beautiful building here and it’s under-utilized,” Fisher said.

Although they are still just forming ideas, Fisher and Steck have thought of possibly offering an after-school program for children, or bringing in speakers and hosting workshop events that would interest a variety of people.

“That’s one of our 2022 goals, to make it a true community center where there’s different things going on every day,” the new managers expressed.

Additionally, they would love to see the center partner with the schools and facilitate a sort of pen pal operation between seniors and children in the community; increase outings offered to members such as a train ride to the Izaak Walton Inn on a day trip; and advertise to get young people interested in volunteering for the senior classes or meal service.

The managers say it has been a smooth transition in large part because of how the previous managers left the center.

“Shoutout to Michelle (McDowell) and Kathy (Cozad) for setting us up,” Steck said. “They were really great getting us trained up and making sure we had the tools that we needed, so we really appreciate them.”

FISHER GREW up in Columbia Falls and has spent the majority of her adult life living and working in Whitefish. She has been married to her husband, Doug, for 31 years and has two grown children and two grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family, camping at their new property in Rexford, and reading.

Fisher spent 18 years working administratively at the Whitefish Christian Academy before spending the last six years working at a nonprofit health clinic. She has both administrative experience as well as experience in the nonprofit sector.

Steck moved to Montana in 1991 and attended high school in Bigfork. She moved back to Florida for a handful of years and then settled into Whitefish about 10 years ago. She created a career in massage therapy, but recently decided she wanted to make a change. She had previous administrative work prior to becoming a massage therapist, and loves taking a deep dive into an Excel spreadsheet.

She and her husband were married recently and she loves paddleboarding, skiing and rock climbing. They also enjoy sailing on Flathead Lake, and Steck is working on writing a memoir.

Both women believe their backgrounds and skill sets combine to make a great team in managing the center and hope to serve the Whitefish community through this opportunity.

For more information on the Community Center programs and happenings visit whitefishcommunitycenter.org.