Since re-opening our center after the pandemic, there have been a lot of changes. Change is always difficult but the change we are telling you about today is one that we all feel good about. That change is our new Activities Director who was hired last week.

               We would like to introduce you to Andrea Alfaro. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Andrea is Manager at the Muleshoe Chamber of Commerce. She works there part-time and will be part-time at our center also.

               Andrea was born and raised here in Muleshoe. She graduated from high school in 2012 and then furthered her education at Lubbock’s South Plains College. She moved back to Muleshoe in 2014 because she wanted to raise her sons, Nolan and Nehemiah in a small-town setting. When she is not working, she spends most of her time with them along with her fiancé, John Orozco.

               Previously, Andrea worked at the Muleshoe ISD as Secretary in the migrant department. It was this job that Andrea said got her involved and active in the Muleshoe community.

               When asked why she wanted to work at our Senior Center, she said that she loved the atmosphere here. Working as Chamber Manager, she worked very closely with us at our center and she said she was always impressed with how active the center was. “You all set the example of a successful non-profit who carries out an important role of helping build a successful community,” she added.

               In her work as Chamber Manager, Andrea always showed us that she doesn’t just let things happen—she makes things happen. She threw herself into her work here the very first day. No doubt, she is focused on being the best Activities Director she can be.

               When asked about her parents and the influence they had in her life, she opened up and told us, “They were wonderful parents who taught her many of life’s lessons.” She said that she recalls them telling her, “1. To be respectful of others, 2. To stand her ground but do so in a professional way, and 3. To value and respect the opinion of others.”

               All of us working with Andrea have already seen that she is big on focus and commitment. Her very first week here, she was pushing herself to accomplish her goals. When asked what she wants to accomplish here, she told me, “I want to be able to keep up and stay up to the high standards already here. I want to help the center grow by getting more people involved. And finally, I want our seniors to have a place where they can be active, participate, and enjoy their time with friends and acquaintances.”

               Our abilities and what we do with them is the test of living. And the highest reward is not what we get for it but what we become by it. We welcome Andrea to our center. We know her best work is yet to come!