Lakeland FASD looking for community volunteers

One of the Lakeland’s top non-profits is looking for your help.

After recently celebrating 20 years of servicing the area, the Lakeland Centre for FASD is looking for two motivated people to join their board.

Years of hard work in improving the lives of those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the Centre has been recognized at all levels of government for their programming.

“The organization has been around for 20 years. We just had our 20 year celebration, it really speaks to the leadership of the board that we’ve been able to go this far,” said executive director Lisa Murphy.

“We’ve grown substantially in the last 20 years. And so we look to continue to grow and evolve and support as many people as possible. We really need those volunteer board members to help make that happen.”

The team at the Lakeland Centre offer a variety of FASD services across the lifespan, including preventing, diagnostic, and intervention supports, said Murphy.

“As a board member, you will have the opportunity to increase your knowledge in FASD, provide leadership to a world-renowned organization and feel personally and professionally rewarded by the amazing work achieved by the centre,” she said.

“Essentially we meet once a month for about two hours to go through the needs of the organization.”

During these meetings, the board has a fiduciary financial responsibility but will get updates on the current programs the FASD Centre is doing, while also setting the strategic direction going forward.

Servicing Cold Lake, Bonnyville, Lac La Biche, St. Paul, and Smoky Lake, they also support local First Nations communities and four Metis Settlements.

Covering nearly 350 kilometres, their main office is in Cold Lake, while other communities are served with satellite offices in St Paul, Bonnyville, and Lac La Biche.

“It is a regional board, so we try to have people in different areas of the Lakeland,” said Murphy.

“We’d love to have representation in St. Paul-Smoky Lake area, that’s kind of from the regional perspective.”

The Board also likes to have some members who work in fields that might have overlap with some of their programming. Some of the board has backgrounds in children’s services, health, justice, education, and child welfare.

For these vacant positions, the business or health specialities are an asset as well.

“Join this amazing organization. We’re known as leaders in FASD. It’s a fantastic organization to be a part of. It’s very rewarding.”

Contact Lakeland FASD at 780-594-9905 if you’re interested.