Meet new community coordinator June 17

After much waiting, the Hill City Center (HCC) has a new community coordinator named Christy Derynck. 

Derynck was born in Wolf Point, Mont., and grew up on a farm northwest of town. After high school she pursued a degree in marketing, graphic design and communication which she received from a Denver Business College branch in Billings, Mont. 

Today Derynck has over 30 years of professional experience working in marketing and communications. However, she also dabbled in a few other fields like plumbing and kitchen design while moving around due to her husband’s work.

On one of these moves, Derynck worked at an assisted living center and discovered a passion for helping the elderly. She had many grandmas and grandpas there and really thrived. 

Ten years ago, Derynck and her husband moved to the Hills between Keystone and Hermosa. When they decided to downsize two years ago, Hill City was at the top of their list. They loved the community and often commuted back and forth to attend events, visit, shop and eat in Hill City. 

“We just felt that the community was very welcoming, the businesses were very welcoming and there was just a warm atmosphere here,” Derynck said. 

Around then, Derynck was looking for something new job-wise. Previously she worked in Rapid City in the advertising department of a jewelry company. While she enjoyed it, she wanted to lessen the commute, especially during the winter months, and grow in the community. 

“I literally said to myself, ‘If there was a marketing position, if the city needed someone to help market, if there was a director position at the senior center (she would be interested),’” Derynck said. “I thought if there was something there that would open up, I would apply for that job.” 

One day she was looking at the Hill City Area Chamber of Commerce website for employment, and low and behold the community coordinator job popped up. 

“I told my husband, ‘Look at this. I would be crazy not to apply,’” Derynck said. “It was a God thing as far as I was concerned.”

So Derynck sent in a resume, began May 22 and said, “The weeks have flown by.” 

Although her job history played a role in getting her to this position, Derynck said the environment of a combined community center and senior center is a new experience. Thankfully, everyone has helped with the training and transition process. If one person cannot help, they simply direct her to another person who can. 

“I really look at it as a partnership,” said Derynck. “I feel like it’s a friendship. I feel like I’m a servant, that I can come alongside and help on a daily basis.”

As the community coordinator for the HCC, Derynck will oversee everything. She will oversee the building functions, coordinate with the city when something needs to be fixed and manage all the events on the community calendar. 

“We have quite a few events that the seniors are involved in throughout the week during the day, and then we are also trying to build opportunities for outside groups to come in,” said Derynck. 

These include groups like American Legion, Lions Club, arts council and park board as well as events like reunions, wedding parties, birthdays, corporate meetings, retreats or dinners for private groups.

The seniors are also working on forming committees to create new things and functions for people to do. Helping with these ideas is another part of Derynck’s role. She will see if there is interest and then help coordinate, facilitate and execute these ideas. 

So far everything has gone well, and Derynck has been able to grow with the seniors and the city as things change. 

“It’s going to be really fun to experience how the vision comes together with both groups,” said Derynck. 

The seniors are excited about the opportunity to do new things, and the city is excited to further open the HCC to the community as well. 

“We’re creating a legacy here that the seniors can get involved with and the community can get involved with. We can have all kinds of events here, and it can be a hub for everyone that is meeting on every level,” said Derynck.

Along with this, Derynck said, “I really would like to see us reach as many people as we can, specifically in the senior sector.”

Derynck knows there are probably senior center members who have not come in a while or people who have never been members. The HCC can be an outlet or place to go for them.

“I would really like to see us grow in that outreach to folks that just need people in their lives, and I think we can be that,” said Derynck.

Additionally, Derynck knows some people are shut in, do not have family, cannot get around easily and are forgotten. 

“I see this place and I see the people here able to help fix that so we can reach people that aren’t belonging anywhere,” Derynck said.

Derynck feels honored to be the community coordinator and hopes that she can live up to the expectations of the community. 

“I feel like I am representing a part of the community and a very vital part of the community,” said Derynck. “I just feel very blessed to be here, and I’m very grateful, and I’m very excited.”

Saturday, June 17 there is a meet and greet ice cream social from 2-4 p.m. at the HCC to introduce Derynck to the community. Anyone is welcome to come and enjoy some ice cream. Derynck would love as many people as possible to stop by. 

 Derynck can be reached at 605-574-3211 or hcse

niors@hillcitysd.org. The HCC doors are always open as well.