Meet Your Board Members: Erin Cass

​by Russ Alman
Communications Director
 
Erin Cass is a native of Wenatchee and has lived in the Valley most of her life. She graduated from Eastmont High School but her husband of 27 years, Shane, is a Wenatchee graduate. She earned a degree in recreation management at Central Washington University with a minor in geriatrics. Then, like many young adults from the area, she and her husband moved back to the Wenatchee area to raise their kids. The couple have two boys — the older is a 23-year-old working in sports media at Utah State University, and the younger is a senior at Wenatchee High School. Most of her family also lives in North Central Washington. ​

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“I just do love the Valley and I think the strength of our Valley truly is the community partnerships and how people seem to really want to enhance where we live, not just for the people who have lived here forever, but for people moving into our valley,” Erin said.
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Over the past 25 years, Erin's career has led her to work as the director for a number of nonprofits in the area, including the Wenatchee Valley Literacy Council; and Wellness Place, a cancer support nonprofit. Working with the senior community has always held a special place for her. Her father, Jack Charlton, was the director of the area Agency of Aging (now Aging & Adult Care of Central Washington), so she feels that in many ways, she has followed in his footsteps. “I have always loved seeing generations come together,” Erin said.

It was at Wellness Place where Erin was introduced to Stay Active and Independent for Live (SAIL), an evidence-based exercise program to maintain dexterity and balance in seniors and prevent falls. This led her to start her own business called Healthy Aging, through which she contracts with government agencies to integrate fall prevention programs into communities in 6 different counties in Central Washington.

Erin became a board member at the Senior Center at the urging of Dave Tosch, the Center's previous executive director. “I'm thrilled and honored to be a board member. He talked to me back in 2019 and it was just a natural fit.” Erin began as a Member at Large and currently holds the Director A position.

She has become a strong advocate for the Senior Center. “I believe in what you're all doing here. The programs are varied and accessible. I believe in your food program here that offers $5 lunches for anybody who walks through the door. There's something for everyone here and I really believe in the growth too.”

Erin is excited about the new name the board chose for the organization — Foothills Community Center. “I think we're moving in the right direction while still honoring all the great things that are steeped in tradition. There are a lot of varied activities here, and it will continue to go in that direction. But honoring what the existing programs are and the spirit, that will never go away,” she said. “The flavor of what's going on here is not going to change.”

As a board member, she sees a big uptick in health equity programs and health promotion programs at the Center, and she'd like to see that continue. “I think the Senior Activity Center does a really good job of bringing in these programs... but I think having educational outlets, guest speakers come in, talking about medication reviews, getting your hearing checked, vision, podiatrists... things like that will all be helpful.”

In addition to her role on the board, she is involved in the building expansion project, reaching out to larger potential donors and helping to write grants. “The expansion is near and dear to my heart,” she said. “You all work so hard every day trying to make everything work and function here with just limited space. People should just hang tight and know that... good things are happening. And I'm happy to be a part of it.”