For Sharon Strom, becoming BC CRN’s Regional Mentor for the East Kootenays wasn’t a planned career move – it was a return to the place where she felt most connected.
Sharon first became involved with BC CRN more than six years ago while working in the community relations department at Teck Resources in Sparwood.
In that role, she collaborated with many community organizations, including the local CRN.
So, when the former mentor for the East Kootenays began developing a network in Sparwood, Sharon was invited to the table.
“I started with them from the onset. I was a member. I wasn’t a mentor. And it was pretty easy to recognize that there was good work being done, and I really enjoyed it.”
Then, after retiring and briefly moving back to Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Sharon realized that what felt like home on paper no longer felt like home in practice.
She missed the East Kootenays – its people, its pace, and its sense of belonging.
So, she returned to Elkford to manage a new affordable senior housing facility she’d helped create during her time with Teck.
And this move aligned naturally with the work of BC CRN.
“You can see how the two marry, being the manager for a senior facility and then working for the CRN. It’s just a hand-in-glove situation,” she said.
When the previous mentor retired, Sharon was encouraged to apply, so she stepped into the role on August 1st and has been supporting the region ever since.
Supporting Communities Across the East Kootenays
Sharon’s region includes the municipalities of Elkford, Sparwood, Cranbrook, Creston, Kimberley, Invermere, and Golden.
Other than Cranbrook, these communities are small and tightly knit, which is something Sharon sees as a unique strength when it comes to preventing abuse and neglect.
“Somebody who does somebody’s hair regularly might very easily recognize a change in a senior. So, I think the strength is the small size.”
Sharon notes that the CRNs in her region work closely with other organizations, which expands the network of people who can recognize these kinds of concerns and share relevant information.
“There’s a whole network of people there now who are being educated, who can keep their eyes open,” she said.
Sharon’s background in community relations has also shaped her awareness of cultural factors in the region.
The East Kootenays are located on the traditional lands of the Ktunaxa Nation, and Sharon hopes to strengthen relationships with them in a way that’s respectful and community led.
“You just don’t go in there and say, hey, we’ve got this program… I think I need to make them aware of what we do and have them invite me in.”
A Community Where People Look Out for One Another
While small communities have many advantages, Sharon also sees the challenges they face.
Her recent experience at a senior fair in Invermere underscored that abuse is not an easy topic for people to acknowledge.
“People don’t want to talk about abuse… They would come by, they’d glance… but a lot of them just kind of averted their eyes,” she said.
This reluctance to talk about abuse is universal, but in small towns, privacy and trust play an even bigger role.
Sharon believes local CRNs help create safe, non-judgmental spaces where people can learn, ask questions, and understand their options.
“When you’ve got a gathering of people, the more information you share, the more apt someone is to say, okay, I feel safe, I feel comfortable.”
Events like Sparwood’s recent Health and Vitality Fair highlight the power of community engagement. That event, which Sharon emceed, saw strong attendance and overwhelmingly positive feedback.
“People said you should have had more speakers, and you need to do this twice a year… To me, that’s an acceptance of the information,” she said.
The Moments That Stay With Her
One story in particular reminded Sharon of just how important everyday awareness can be.
At the Invermere senior fair, her childhood friend shared an experience from her days running a jewelry store in Edmonton when a senior customer was unknowingly being targeted by a romance scammer.
“My friend Gayle said to her friend to just be careful… And about two weeks later this lady came in and said, ‘You were right. He contacted me and said, I can’t afford to make the trip… Can you send me money?’”
That story resonated deeply with Sharon.
“To me, that’s exactly what this is about… people seeing and saying.”
This combination of prevention, awareness, and everyday action fuels Sharon’s motivation and reinforces the importance of the work she does for BC CRN.
Looking Ahead
In the coming year, Sharon hopes to establish a new CRN in Fernie.
“Fernie’s in between Sparwood and Cranbrook, so we just jump over that community. And it’s like, no, we need someone there.”
She also hopes for more opportunities to engage with First Nation communities in culturally appropriate ways.
“If we can get more involved with the local Indigenous community, that would be wonderful,” she said.
Life Outside of Work
Although Sharon jokes about being a workaholic, she stays busy in ways that bring her great joy.
Aside from managing the housing facility where she lives, she also loves to spend time walking her two dogs, and visiting her son in Sparwood, whom she describes as “a really good cook.”
She also enjoys lots of classic rock, which is something people might not expect.
“I love loud rock music. And I’ve been to probably, I’m going to say at least 30 concerts.”
And that includes everything from Aerosmith, to AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, George Thorogood, Bon Jovi, and even Metallica.
