Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Diana Sim, Executive Director, Martha Retreat Centre
Transitions
Martha Retreat
Centre, nestled on 4.5 acres of land on the edge of the Lethbridge
coulees, has been serving Lethbridge for the past 53 years. It became a mission of the Sisters of St. Martha of Antigonish Nova
Scotia.
The Sisters served in the Lethbridge community for over 90
years, coming to Lethbridge to serve in the local hospital, eventually
building St. Michael's Hospital. The past few years the Sisters had been
talking about returning to Antigonish, and discussions about the Centre
evolved into what is now the Martha Retreat Centre Society. The property
is owned by the Sisters and is now operated by an independent Society,
lead by a Board of Directors.
Diana Sim was offered the opportunity to help
develop this newly formed nonprofit, taking on the role as Executive
Director on April 15, 2020. The last year has been one of learning,
growth and transitioning. The future for the Centre is bright and focused on serving
the needs of the people in our community by providing a quiet, welcoming
space where individuals or groups can come away and rest awhile,
nourish their spirits and open their hearts to God.
Diana has worked in the
nonprofit sector for 36 years. In Lethbridge she served as Partnerships Manager at the YWCA for 20 years, then in 2012 moved on to lead Volunteer Lethbridgeas Executive DIrector, a role she finished on April 1, 2020. Martha Retreat Centre was transitioning
as an independent nonprofit, receiving charitable status in January 2020. Diana
accepted the challenge of assisting this newly formed charity in its
development stages.