In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.
What is your name?
Karlene Sewell.
Where are you from and how long have you lived in Kelowna?
I was born in Kamloops, I spent my teen and young adult years in the Lower Mainland and I've been in Kelowna for 18 years.
Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
Sorry, I can’t pick just one! There's my son, Alex, who is going away for University this fall so time with him is rare and fleeting, and I enjoy our conversations. My daughter, Kyra, because we have that special mother-daughter bond and she’s wise beyond her years. There's also my husband, Rick. He makes me laugh and makes me feel very loved.
If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
Whatever is considered the most beautiful, small, secluded lake surrounded by mountains and trees. Relaxing in nature is rejuvenating.
What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
Quality Greens, for convenience, price-point and quality. Life is too short to eat bad lettuce.
What is your favourite activity?
Well, 'activity' has become a challenge over the past few years as I’ve developed a rare progressive neurological condition affecting my legs. I used to love to run, go for walks and I had started to take up golf. I wish I could say I’ve found a replacement activity to do outdoors, but no luck. I do the elliptical trainer at H2O and the new Downtown Y because it helps move my legs for me.
If you had to choose: pizza, tacos, or burgers?
Pizza, you can make anything in the shape of a circle with a few toppings on it and call it pizza. Some of my recent favourites are spaghetti squash pizza and sushi pizza!
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
Teaching a fitness class with a hole in the butt of my leggings. Someone kindly told me, but not until after the class. That's when it clicked that when I was demonstrating leg lifts with my back to the class and asked 'Can everyone see me okay?' someone responded 'Yep, more than we’d like.'
What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Being part of the YMCA of Okanagan for almost 18 years. I’m regularly moved to tears when people we’ve helped share their stories with us. It’s our job to help people get healthy, receive quality child care and gain meaningful employment, but when people come back to us and let us know to what degree they were truly suffering and how the Y was the catalyst for turning their life around, it’s hard to not shed a tear and be even more inspired to help more people.
Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
Playing a snow tag game with my mom and siblings in the backyard of our Kamloops home. Half the fun was creating the course by shuffling through the snow to make pathways and safe zones. My mom died at a fairly young age, so it’s nice to treasure memories like this.
Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
By being with involved with the YMCA.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
It’s like a cheesy beauty pageant answer, but I’d like us to all be kind to one another, no matter where we’re from, what our sexual orientation is, what religion we practice, etc.
What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
As mentioned above, 'activity' has become challenging. Does drinking wine on my park-side patio count? Cause that’s my fave!
Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
I live in Kettle Valley and head over to what I call 'the view place.' It has a panoramic view of the lake and a few benches to sit and enjoy it. When I had a lot on my plate and was feeling stressed, I’d go there just to sit and breathe for a moment.
Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
Not just Kelowna, but in all of Canada, I’d like to see everyone achieving the minimum amount of exercise to maintain basic health, which is 150 minutes/week. Only 20% of our population achieves this. That means 80% of us are on track to develop chronic disease. Our health care system is already so burdened, this scares me.
What do you think makes Kelowna great?
The geography and climate (minus the recent floods and smoke, of course). Lakes, mountains, sun, snow – we’ve got it all!
What are 3 things on your bucket list?
When I was hospitalized for a complication from a diagnostic procedure for my neurological condition, I thought I was dying (I wasn’t! But I felt like I could). I had a lot of time to think about what really matters to me and how I would re-focus my time when I got out. So I don’t have a bucket list. If there were something I really wanted to do, I’d just do it. That being said, my wishes are simple: time with family and friends.
Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
I was part of a semi-professional dance team that competed in a national dance competition in New York when I was 17. I have to say this could also qualify as an embarrassing moment, but I was on a few episodes of an aerobics TV show on CBC, pink spandex and all.
How do people connect with you, personally, through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest)
Facebook
What is the name of your business/organization?
YMCA of Okanagan, my role is the GM, Health Initiatives.
Why did you get into/start this business?
To help people get active and to work for an organization whose core values align with mine. It’s incredibly motivating to work for a charity, especially the YMCA, because the focus is prevention and in helping people reach their potential. Aspects of the YMCA operate like a business, we need to charge money for most of the services we provide, but it’s good to know that it all goes towards our mission. As our CFO aptly points out, money is our constraint, not our goal. Unlike for-profit organizations, who measure their success based on money earned, the Y measures its success based on achieving community impact. At the Y, a healthier community is our bottom line. We know the more money we bring in, the more good we can do for the community.
What is the goal of your business?
To build healthy communities. My role, in particular, is currently focused on the new Kelowna Downtown YMCA. Our goal is to provide a comfortable and state-of-the-art facility where all-inclusive means many things: open to all (thanks to donor support, those who can’t afford the full fee receive financial assistance), all programs and services included in membership (all Group Fitness classes and Personal Coaching), and my favourite aspect: it’s for all levels, from beginners, to people with health issues and disabilities (like me!), to the most avid exercisers and athletes. We’ve got certified fitness staff on duty at all times and a variety of equipment for each type of member.
What has been your biggest struggle either in work or life?
Coping with the loss of function in my legs. Going from teaching high-intensity fitness classes and enjoying running outdoors, to now struggling to walk has been a challenging adjustment. The pain and mobility issues make it hard to do basic things. I had a blossoming career with the YMCA, but I am now unable to work full-time. Thank goodness I qualify for Long-Term Disability, which helps pay the bills, but the money I earn working part-time for the Y just comes off my disability payment. However, I know there are many people out there who have health issues and can’t work, but don’t have the benefit of LTD, so I actually feel lucky.
If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
Same. There’s nothing I could’ve done to prevent this neurological condition and it’s forced me to slow down. I’m happy with where I am in life. I’m working because I want to, not because I have to. I could sit back and do nothing and just collect my disability cheque, but I love the work I’m doing and am very passionate about doing my part to improve the overall health of Okanagan residents.
What do you always find yourself saying?
'Umphf ugh' when I’m trying to do anything that involves moving my legs!
If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
Barack Obama. I’d love to hear his thoughts about his country’s new leadership and find how he manages to ignore it and carry on with his life. I find it hard to not react and get upset, so I wonder how someone who led their country with certain values can stand back and watch his polar opposite be in charge. He must have some amazing coping skills.
Why do you think it is important to shop locally?
To keep the jobs and money in our local economy.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
Completing the CMA (now CPA: Chartered Professional Accountant) Executive program in Vancouver while continuing with my very busy full-time job as GM of the Kelowna Family Y, and raising two kids (ages 10 and 12 at the time). I couldn’t have done it with the support of my husband and kids! My neurological condition set-in shortly after completing the program, so I wasn’t able to use this designation to advance my career as I hoped, but it was an amazing learning experience. It didn’t completely go to waste – the program was largely about strategy, and has given me useful tools to help the Y establish strategic collaborations for health initiatives with Interior Health and UBC Okanagan.
Give someone you think that deserves it a shout out and explain why!
Kelley Taylor, Centre Manager at the new Kelowna Downtown YMCA. She’s put in endless hours to get that place up and running and does it all with high energy and a great attitude. With her knowledge of the fitness industry and a thorough understanding of our strategy for that centre, she chose the equipment and layout to serve all fitness levels and create an all-inclusive integrated centre perfect for the downtown community. As a fun and motivational leader, she has also pulled together a great team of highly qualified staff who are excited to be part of this innovative centre. I’m looking forward to seeing the amazing impact the Kelowna Downtown Y has on the health of that community under her leadership.
My choice for the KelownaNow In Focus spotlight is:
Kevin Muir, CFO, YMCA of Okanagan.
Some general comments I would like to share are:
Special thanks to my husband for nominating me for this spotlight. He’s very proud of who I am and what I was accomplishing even before my neurological condition set in. Now that I’m disabled and he sees how much I’m physically struggling, he’s even more proud that I continue to follow my passion to help the Y build a healthier community, while taking care of myself and my family to the best of my ability. I’m not letting the situation bring me down, and it’s sweet how proud he is of me. He’s my biggest cheerleader and I couldn’t do it without him.
We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna.
