After 30 years of dedication, colour, laughter, and wholehearted care, we are celebrating the retirement of one of SSCS’s beloved team members: Gurdava.
Gurdava joined SSCS in 1995, beginning her journey as an assistant helper in the Parent/Tot Drop‑In program. Since then, she has worked in at least 10 different programs, supported countless families, and collected over 50 professional development certificates — a testament to her love of learning and her commitment to growing alongside the community she serves.
Across Strong Start, HPOP, Supported Child Development, childcare, and many other roles, one thing has remained constant: Gurdava’s extraordinary way with children and families. She is known throughout Squamish’s early years community for her patience, warmth, and childminding expertise. Families ask for her by name. Colleagues describe her as reliable, dedicated, and “an exceptional employee.”
The community agrees. We receive messages from families saying:
- “Gurdava is the best”
- “It was like having a conversation with an old friend”
- “She makes you feel welcomed and comfortable”
- “Gurdava is wonderful!”
- “The best!”
Beyond her skills, it’s her heart that people remember. Whether she was showing up for a one‑hour shift between programs (“Would 12–1 help?”), sharing stories at staff meetings (“Gurdava was always the chattiest — we sometimes had to remind her the meeting was ending!”), or arriving dressed in colours that celebrated each holiday, she brought joy into every space she entered.
Her kindness has shaped countless moments. One colleague shared how Gurdava once gifted her Whistler half‑marathon entry to a team member who “cried with happiness,” refusing anything in return. Another story captures her deep cultural awareness: while supporting a child on his birthday, she quietly arranged for the child’s mother and sister to honour their tradition of feeding him cake — even when he was too overwhelmed to notice them in the room. “Everyone was smiling, laughing and happy,” her colleague recalled. “Especially the child full of cake!”
These stories capture who she is: thoughtful, generous, community‑minded, and always ready to go the extra mile for a child or family.
As she steps into retirement, we celebrate everything she has given to SSCS and to the Sea to Sky community. Her impact is woven into the lives of the families she supported, the children she cared for, and the colleagues who adore her.
We love you, Gurdava. Thank you for nearly three decades of heart‑forward service. You will be deeply missed — and always part of the SSCS family.