MONROE — After more than two decades, the woman who helped shape the Behring Senior Center has taken on a new opportunity with a shot at learning even more from a bigger program. However, she’ll leave behind many who have been grateful to see her contribution to the community.

Director Tammy Derrickson’s final day will be Sept. 14. On Sept. 17, she will begin as senior services director for the City of Middleton. 

And while she admits that leaving as the center begins its process to see whether it should expand and amid ongoing discussion of how to become accredited, she knows the work she has done will ensure the center continues successfully.

“No timing is ever good,” Derrickson said. “I’ve been here a long time; 22 years is a long time. I started in a small-time operation.”

She pointed to a director’s job as one which requires “good decisions” and said she feels as though she made them. Senior Citizens Board member Paul Hannes, who has worked with Derrickson for about a decade through his time on the board, agreed.

“Tammy has done a good job with the senior center,” Hannes said. “It is well attended. Tammy has done a terrific job to bring members and people on board.”

Derrickson said that when she started the position in 1996, the center had a membership of roughly 650. Since that time, it has grown to 2,300 people from both the city and surrounding communities. She noted a quote from her grandfather about making borrowed things better before returning them and said that is how she has approached her direction of the center in Monroe. In 2006, she oversaw the creation of a fitness and wellness center at Behring, and even secured federal grant funding for the wellness center. Recent remodeling has updated infrastructure of the building that once served as a teacher’s college decades ago. 

Hannes said he has observed the growth of the facilities and the positive changes under Derrickson’s direction.

Throughout the years, Derrickson has worked with a number of people and said she is grateful to them all, especially the seniors who have supported the center. 

She said changing jobs to Middleton was truly an opportunity of timing. Jill Kranz, who has served as the director in Middleton for more than 30 years, has decided to retire. 

Derrickson noted that the Middleton Senior Center has programs similar to ones she is used to overseeing, but also has accreditation at both a national and state level. Behring has been working to secure accreditation but has not yet been able to meet the requirements. 

“There are lots of opportunities in Middleton, and lots of different things in terms of setting,” Derrickson said. 

There is also a nutrition site, case management services and a loan fund program, which she said are programs that will provide even more experience as she moves forward.

“The fit was really good during the whole process, everyone I met was top-notch,” Derrickson said. “I’m really excited to work there.”