WHAT MAKES SASHA A GOOD CANDIDATE??
Sasha was born and initially raised in a small town in Manitoba. It was during these formative years that she acquired an appreciation of small town dynamics. In 1973 she moved to Alberta with her parents and two siblings. Having moved to Calgary, Sasha also has the experience of living in a larger community. There, she became very involved with community affairs and activities. For almost 30 years she lived, went to school and worked in and around the big city.
Sasha believes she would be a good candidate for council because she represents the real, everyday, average person. She is open, honest and approachable. She does not think she is better than anyone else. She doesn’t have a University education. She will be the first to tell you she didn’t initially graduate high school. It wasn’t due to lack of grades, just lack of credits needed to graduate. This was discouraging for her, but she didn’t let that stop her from achieving her personal best during her life. In fact, she did not go back to finish high school until she was 41 years old. She did this while holding down a full-time job. She actually attended a high school part-time to achieve her credits needed. She proudly took her exams with all the grade 12 students
“This just goes to show that age is not what really matters,” Sasha says, “It is a positive state of mind that does.”
She is proud of this accomplishment in her education. Sasha is a very positive person in all aspects of her life.
Sasha knows what it’s like to struggle and overcome tough obstacles in life. She has lived most of her adult life working hard and living from paycheque to paycheque. She struggled to provide for her family, but the main thing was they were always fed and happy. Sasha did what she had to in order to provide for them, sometimes working up to three jobs to get by. She knows what adversity is, and has always worked hard to overcome it. She does not currently hold a high-powered or high-paying job, but she is quite happy with what she has and what she does. She believes she has a good grasp on what the lower and fixed income people feel. She has spent most of her life in that position. Sasha believes this life experience will help her relate to many of the people of the Crowsnest Pass.
She has raised a family, for the most part, by herself. Her first husband passed away when she was just 27, leaving her with three small children to raise on her own. Before her husband died, he handled everything, including all household finances. She learned, in a hurry, how to pay the bills, finance a mortgage and balance a cheque book. In the first year after his death, she found and bought a house, started her own business and put herself and her children through grief therapy. It was the beginning of a very busy and active time in her life.
While still living in Calgary, Sasha was very involved with her local community association, actively and vocally standing up for the average resident and their concerns. She has petitioned to invoke change within her local community, given television interviews, organized public events and rallies, and provided documentation and proof of need for necessary changes in the community.
She learned the ins and outs and ups and downs of owning her own business. She learned how to do payroll, inventory control, and accounts payable and receivable. She also did company advertising and promotion. Sasha also had the opportunity to work for the Crowsnest Pass Herald in 2003, as their Advertising Manager. She has an extensive knowledge of, and dealings in, public relations throughout the years. Locally, she volunteered to serve a one year term as a trustee for CUPE, a local union. There, she helped to perform an audit for five year’s worth of union books. With all of this business experience, Sasha believes she can bring something of value to her position as councillor.
Sasha remarried when she was 34, and had another child. During this time, she got very involved in her four children’s extra-curricular activities. She was a minor hockey league team manager from 2000-2001, and an assistant manager, from 2001–2002. She was also a treasurer for one of her son's hockey teams for one season, and the team uniform manager the year before that. Sasha was also the Girl Guide Cookie Drive Coordinator for two years, for her daughter's Brownie group. She also was the Fund raiser coordinator for hockey, Scouts, Brownies and a Calgary girls’ group. She spent time as an Executive Council Member and Guardian, of a Calgary branch of an international girls’ organization for over two years, from 2000–2002.
She spent one full school year, from September 2000 – June 2001, working for the Calgary Board of Education as a Teacher's Aide. Some of her responsibilities included assisting the teachers with Grade 3 & 4 children. She did playground and lunchroom supervision, made copies of teaching material for classroom studies and assisted the teacher in any other duties, as required, in and around the classroom. She believes that the combination of all these experiences can bring to her time on council, an understanding of what this community needs for its youth.
In 2002, her second husband suffered an irreparable brain injury. This left her, once again, on her own to raise her four children. In 2003, she followed her extended family to the Crowsnest Pass. Here, three of her children attended school and participated in local groups and activities. At that time, she threw herself into her work and got established within this community. She says that coming to live in the Crowsnest Pass was like coming home for her.
Sasha worked as a Domestic Aide in both Calgary and the Crowsnest Pass. She also did volunteer work with seniors in several Calgary Nursing Homes over the years. Locally, she worked part-time for York Creek Lodge from June 2003 to April 2005, as a Domestic Aide. She assisted the Personal Care Attendants, as required. She attended to residents’ needs, as requested. Part of her position was to serve meals and clean up as necessary, tend to residents’ rooms with cleaning and laundry, cleaning the Lodge before and after meals and serving the evening snack. Sasha also worked locally with Mountain View Industries, as a Community Rehabilitation Worker, during 2004. This time was an invaluable experience for her.
Her time spent working with seniors and the disabled has given her a good understanding of the needs of the elderly and infirm of this community.
She values this community and its future.
Since the last election, she has held positions on several key boards and organizations. She served briefly on the Crowsnest Pass Heritage Board. She currently sits as an executive member of the Ratepayer's Association, representing the community of Coleman, and whole of the Crowsnest Pass. She is also, a member at large, on the Crowsnest Pass Senior Housing Board. As well, she worked hard last year, with the Rum Runner Day's Committee, to try to put on a successful event. Sadly community spirit was decimated and the event was not as successful as was hoped for. She feels that the community and it's volunteer's are an integral part of what makes the Crowsnest Pass great. Sasha knows that the Pass and it's people need to feel appreciated and that their input is important. Fostering that volunteerism is important on her list of things to do, for this community.
At present, three of her four children currently live within this community. Two of them have married and bought homes here and plan to raise their families here. Sasha is now a very proud Grandmother, of a beautiful Granddaughter. She wants to know that her grandchildren's future, here in the Crowsnest Pass, is a bright one. She feels that her intimate knowledge of raising a family here will help her understand the needs of this community.
She is open to all input from the public. She knows that there are numerous concerns within this community that need addressing. She feels that she is in a good position to listen to those needs and ideas, and will try to help to implement them to the best of her ability. Sasha hopes that this new council will be a positive change for the future and growth of the Crowsnest Pass.
Sasha has a strong sense of community. She is not easily manipulated. She is not afraid to speak up for what is fair and right. She is a fighter. She is reliable and resourceful. A vote for her is a vote for you. Sasha welcomes your input, thoughts and ideas. She is very open to discuss any issues from the residents of the Crowsnest Pass. Sasha JaegerBaird for Council. Making Your Vote Count!!
