Paula Swift, BScN, BAKin (Hons.Spec.), RN, RMT, - Director of Community Wellness Department

Influenced by my passion to support Indigenous health, my personal experiences, and where I felt I could best contribute to my community, I have now taken on the role of Director of Sagamok’s Community Wellness Department. In this position I maintain my capacity as a nurse while focusing on administration and primary care in a very multidimensional role which will develop to suit the needs of the community.

I am so excited to reconnect with Sagamok after my years away pursuing education. I focused my school projects through the lens of how I could best serve my community. I focused on Mental Health with a special interest in Trauma and Violence Informed Care, Intergenerational Trauma, Intimate Partner Violence. I hope with this experience and knowledge, I will be able to make a valuable contribution to the community.

Outside of work I enjoy gardening and have taken a real interest in traditional medicine and how I can incorporate this into my practice. I love crafts, volleyball, and first off my family.

Foster Southwind - Interim Manager of the Elders Eagle Lodge

Aanii,

I’d like to say hi to everyone. I have been the Interim Manager at Elders Eagle Lodge since November 2024. I’d like to share with everyone a bit of my work history. I started working for the “Elderly Services Unit” as a maintenance person, that was our department’s name back then! I worked as a maintenance person for the  community seniors and elders. We were located at the Old School building river road and our team was made up of a  Manager, 5 Homemakers and a Maintenance Person. From there we moved to the Community Wellness Department on  Espaniel street, and my role changed to Assistant Coordinator and Maintenance person, managing the homemakers and various other duties. Then we moved to our present location, the Elders  Eagle Lodge on Wascom Drive. We have been at the lodge for approximately 23 years. The staff that relocated from CWD to the lodge took their PSW training, including myself. Some staff retired, and some went to other professions. Over the years I have held the roles of Assistant Coordinator, Building Manager, Building Supervisor, and now, Interim Manager at Elders Eagle Lodge.

Despite all the title changes, here I am today, 32 years later. I am still here, and I still enjoy coming to work every morning, blessed to be working with wonderful staff, residents and our community Elders. Chi-meegwetch everyone.