Goldie Farrell

When Goldie Farrell moved to Grande Prairie from Newfoundland in 2000, she brought with her a solid background in business management. Goldie started her career in her early twenties, with experience as manager of Esso Canada’s bulk facilities.

As Manager at Recycle Plus, Goldie combined her past business experience with her new knowledge of recycling to work within the boundaries of the Association. A focus on “people” and a strong consideration of the needs and capabilities of the clients were high on the list of priorities. Goldie strove to ensure that the staff was cross-trained, a goal she knew would ultimately contribute to an increase in morale and productivity.

Although the recycling business was new to her, Goldie was able to learn quickly with the help of her co-workers. Darrin Stubbs was a great resource when she first started at Recycle Plus. Darrin’s recycling expertise and Goldie’s business experience were a good mix, she says. Recycle Plus won an Emerald Award for recycling excellence during Goldie’s time with the Association.

At Recycle Plus, Goldie had much more interaction with the employees than she encountered in her previous management positions. She believes that everybody is good at something. Goldie worked with the clients to determine their strengths and was always able to find them a suitable job in the plant. The work environment was always busy and intense but also lots of fun.

Towards the end of her time at Recycle Plus, Goldie was managing the both the bottle depot and the recycling plant. In accordance with Association guidelines, they were treated strictly as businesses, as opposed to sheltered work environments.

Goldie says that her years working with the handicapped has changed her outlook in many ways. She now finds it easier to recognize that “every person, handicapped or not, is an individual.” On occasions when she meets them in town, Goldie often receives hugs from clients knew at Recycle Plus. She is pleased that they remember her and she returns their enthusiasm.