News03

EPHRATA — Bruce Reim's first experience with the Sunrise Group Home was when he was in high school, as a tutor to other kids who had been placed in the facility.

Reim would later return the facility after completing his studies at Eastern Washington University. A career that started as a temporary summer position, ended last month when Reim retired from the facility three decades after he began.

"That's a testament to the summer work program," Reim said of his experience, "I really believe it's a great place to get started."

He remembers his job that first summer as a recreation assistant at the group home.

"My job for at least one summer was to go out and entertain the kids," Reim said.

Reim was later hired on full-time and would retire as a supervisor of the facility which brings youth from all over the state for counseling and drug and alcohol treatment. Over his span at Sunrise, Reim has seen the center partner with both the Ephrata School District and Job Corps.

"I feel we've had a very positive relationship with the community," he said.

Working with the children was rewarding at times, Reim said, but said that the rewarding experiences were significant ones.

"We knew that we were basically planting a seed for survival when they were released," Reim said of his position at the center.

Over the years, the center has received many calls from adults who had once been in the center, and Reim said many have been very positive about their experiences there.

It has been a whirlwind for Reim in the three weeks since his retirement, and he has been busy catching up with friends and family.

"It's been nice to just kind of see people," Reim said, "working shift work, you don't get to get out and about."

Now that he has more time, Reim plans to spends more time with those friends and family, including his wife Beverly. Reim also has plans to become more active in St. John's Episcopal Church, and in his role as Mayor Pro Tempore for the City of Ephrata.

"I've always enjoyed city government," he said, "I feel that it's a way to give back to the community."

The community of Ephrata as remained Reim's home for much of his life, and he wants to see it do well. He first came to Ephrata as a grade school student, and Reim has no plans to leave town in the near future.

"Sometimes you feel you're in the right place at the right time," he said.

Retirement may not last to long though. The retirement experience might be a nice vacation, but Reim said he has other plans than just sitting idle. He now has the luxury of doing things he hasn't done in the past, but said he may go back to work in a different field in the future.

"I don't see myself being retired for too long actually," he said.