ERVING — Erving Senior & Community Center Activities Coordinator Dulcie McAndrews is taking the reins as the facility’s director following Paula Betters’ retirement.

The 42-year-old Athol native and Erving resident has been the activities coordinator since March 2023. After pursuing a career in law enforcement, an injury gave her new direction in volunteerism, which brought her to the Senior & Community Center — a place with people she’s come to love.

While training at the Massachusetts State Police Academy, an injury put McAndrews on medical deferment from the program. After undergoing surgeries and spending time healing, she began pursuing her bachelor’s degree online through the University Without Walls program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She also volunteered with the Erving Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization and at the Erving Public Library.

Through her continued volunteerism, the opportunity to take on the role as activities coordinator arose, and McAndrews felt it was a chance to continue working at what she describes as the “little campus” on Northfield Road at the school and Care Drive.

As activities coordinator, McAndrews said she’s been responsible for planning the weekly programs for seniors, managing the events and securing grant funding. This experience, and her connection to Senior & Community Center members, meant she felt capable of taking on the director role when Betters announced her plans to retire.

“I was super excited. I was like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s an opportunity for me,’ but I was also nervous,” she said. “I jumped on board and I was lucky enough to be picked.”

Before McAndrews took the reins on Monday, July 21, she worked with Betters to learn about the position’s responsibilities. Betters retired on Friday, July 18, and to celebrate, a retirement party was held inside the Senior & Community Center. Betters thanked her colleagues and center members for their support over the last decade, mentioning how she’s excited to visit the center not as director, but as a guest.

Over the last decade as director, Betters has worked with her staff to make the center welcoming and make hospitality a priority. McAndrews said she aims to keep up the momentum Betters started.

In particular, McAndrews said her goals are to enhance and expand the center’s weekly programming “to meet the evolving interests” of Erving’s senior population; establish a nutrition program for healthy meal access; expand the community focus by forming partnerships across age groups, organizations and town departments; and continue being involved with the development of the Evergreen Circle senior and multi-generational housing project.

“I love working with people,” McAndrews said about working in Erving. “I like working in little communities, and that’s all of the jobs that I’ve done before. I’m just really excited to be here and continue working with the people that I’ve come to love in this little town.”

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.