With a countdown clock in the corner, right, Sue Boettner reviews paperwork Monday in her office at the Bend Park & Recreation District headquarters in Bend.   

After nearly 23 years managing youth and other recreation programs for the Bend Park & Recreation District, Sue Boettner is retiring.

She built many of the district’s recreation programs throughout her time with the park district and partnered with community organizations to expand the programs to children who otherwise wouldn’t have had access to them.

Boettner, 67, loves her job and feels bittersweet about retiring. It’s been a hard decision, but she feels it’s the right time, she said. Her last day is Feb. 1, though she plans to stay on in February and March to help the new recreation services manager acclimate to the role.

“I’m proudest of the relationships I’ve built that have been good for the community and good for the park district, that have brought amazing opportunities to our community, and allowed the district to shine, as well as me shining,” she said.

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The new manager has not been hired yet, though the park district is currently recruiting, said Matt Mercer, director of recreation services.

Getting the community involved

While at the park district, Boettner worked with the Family Access Network, Central Oregon Partnerships for Youth, Bend-La Pine Schools, Friends of the Children and other organizations. She became passionate about helping kids get involved in recreation programs, and continued to find ways to get the community interested, too.

“We’ve just become this really fabulous conduit to help kids get into healthy active lifestyles as best as they can through recreation,” she said.

Mercer, who has worked with Boettner throughout her time at the park district, said she has had a hand “in virtually every piece of recreation over the last 23 years, in one form or another.”

“Sue’s always been a champion for children and families, but she’s a special champion for our more vulnerable youth population, and our more underserved youth population,” he said.

Grew up at the YMCA

Boettner grew up in Hyde Park, Massachusetts. The daughter of a single mother, she spent a lot of time at the local YMCA, and was a strong swimmer.

She worked at a recreation center with the city of Boston right out of high school, and was a director by age 20.

“I loved it. I loved working with people,” she said. “I coached swimming; I taught swimming, and I worked some (in) recreation as well.”

Boettner later moved to California and attended night classes while working during the day to earn her degree in recreation management.

After moving to Bend with her husband in 1992, Boettner worked for the resort in Sunriver, and later for the Sunriver Owners Association, and started working for the Bend Park & Recreation District in 2001. She’s worked as an assistant pool manager, enrichment coordinator, senior center manager and recreation services manager over the last two decades.

As enrichment coordinator, Boettner began to build programs and partnerships for the park district. That role was a “feather in my cap,” as she put it, and she’s proud of the work she did. She also helped build programs as the senior center manager, which is a passion of hers.

Boettner already has some ideas already for what she wants to be involved in after her retirement.

“I’m really connected to the FAN network folks,” she said, referring to the Family Access Network. “The work they do in our community is thoroughly amazing to me, so I see myself possibly being on their board.

“I’ve worked really closely with the Sisters Folk Festival for many years. I served on their board for 12 years. Live music is what I live for, other than my family.”

Boettner said she’s grateful for the park district. She is proud of the staff she’s mentored.

“I just love to be able to support my team and have them grow,” she said. “I’ve just heard from people that they remember things I’ve taught them and that makes me feel really great.”