‘I’m very proud to have been a member of Lansdowne’
GRAND ERIE, ON – In 1991, Jennifer Huxley was looking for an opportunity to return to the workforce after having her third child.
As an Occupational Therapist, she had worked at a few different positions over the preceding 11 years, including in home care, and school health for a private company.
She heard about an opening at Lansdowne Children’s Centre, so she applied, and “I ended up being here for the remainder of my career”; 33 years in total.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long,” Huxley said as her retirement from her position as Director of Client Services drew close.
Huxley’s oldest was almost eight when she started working at the centre, so for the most part, this is the career her children were familiar with her being in.
“They’d assume that everybody I saw in the community, any child that had any special needs, I knew,” Huxley said with a smile.
While that wasn’t quite the case, she does still see a number of former clients while out and about, and that’s something that continually warms her heart.
“It’s so inspiring to see them continuing to lead their lives to their capabilities and just keeping going and succeeding in what they’re doing, whatever that may be, and whatever success looks like to them.”
Huxley said one of the biggest drivers for her career at Lansdowne has been a deep-seated belief in the work being done.
“It’s important for children to be given opportunities. It's important for families, even if we play a very small part in helping that child and that family have greater success in life,” she said.
Huxley shared one memory from a few years back, when a former client that she had worked with for many years had gotten married.
The young woman’s mother planned a special get-together for people who had made a difference in her daughter’s life.
“There was quite a number of us from Lansdowne that were invited to that. That’s a very cherished memory,” Huxley said.
It’s not really surprising that so many Lansdowne staff were recognized with an invitation, when one considers the culture within the organization.
“We do what we say at Lansdowne – our strategic plan, our mission, vision, values; we live and breathe it,” Huxley said.
She encouraged all staff members to “take the opportunity to take in all the resources you have here, and all the knowledge and all that wealth of everybody and the environment.”
As she looks to her retirement, Huxley is planning to spend some time travelling to visit family, including her grandchildren – she currently has five, with number six on the way.
She expects she’ll also spend more time on the greens golfing and the courts playing pickleball.
“I might go back to curling,” she added.
Ultimately, her retirement plans are going to consist of “just doing what I want, when I want.”
But she knows she’ll miss Lansdowne.
“I’m very proud to have been a member of Lansdowne. I'm very honored that I've had that opportunity,” Huxley said.
And while the staff and clients at Lansdowne will miss her when she’s gone, Huxley insists, “I'm the one that's gained,” from her time with the organization, despite her philosophy being “you need to give more than you take in life.”
With a smile on her face and tears in her eyes, Huxley said,
“Hopefully Lansdowne has gained something from me being here, but I’ve gained from me being here.”
On behalf of all our Lansdowne family thank you, Jennifer, and we wish you all the best!
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