In the public eye: Crowe keeps Windham Parks and Recreation running smoothly

Kelsey Crowe started working for the Town
of Windham as an administrative assistant
four years ago and is now serving as
Deputy Director for the Windham Parks
and Recreation Department.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Editor’s note: This is another in an ongoing series of Windham and Raymond town employee profiles.

By Ed Pierce

Kelsey Crowe loves her job working for the Town of Windham and that’s evident in just about everything she does.

As the Deputy Director of Windham’s Parks and Recreation Department, Crowe’s duties and responsibilities are complex and ensure that public recreational programs are of benefit to the community.

“Recently my duties and responsibilities in the office have changed slightly. This summer I will be overseeing our Summer Day Camp program and Dundee Park, which is our waterfront property,” she said. “I assist in coordinating youth programs, family programs, community events and I have some other Deputy Director responsibilities such as interviewing and hiring employees, keeping the office organized and running smoothly and assisting the Parks and Recreation Director with the budget process.”

Crowe says she owes a good deal of credit for her success as Deputy Director of Windham Parks and Recreation to those she works with.

“I wouldn’t be able to do all of this without the support from my Director, Linda Brooks, my coworkers and our seasonal employees,” she said.

Crowe’s work is high profile and meaningful to many in the community who take advantage of more than 500 miles of parks and preserves managed by the Windham Parks and Recreation Department, participate in the popular annual Windham Summerfest activities, or enjoy any of the numerous youth, family and adult programs and events that the town offers every year. It also includes operating dozens of ongoing sports programs, after-school programs, summer activities, youth enrichment programs and senior activities, trips and special events.

Crowe says she loves what she does in her position and is happy working for Windham Parks and Recreation, no matter what her task on any given day may be.

“The best thing about what I do is coming in every day and doing what I love,” she said. “Creating programs, coordinating summer camp, having community events, making people smile, being creative and coming up with new ideas are just some of my duties. I love it all.”

Being actively engaged in the community most of the time while working at her job, Crowe said that the most challenging aspect of her work is when she must sit at her desk in the office at Windham Town Hall to do some work on her computer.

The mission of the Windham Parks and Recreation Department is to develop, operate, and maintain a park and recreational system that enriches the quality of life for residents and visitors, fosters a sense of community, and preserves and protects our open spaces. And as such, the Windham Parks and Recreation Department is open to continual change and must be responsive to the community's evolving needs, something that Crowe takes to heart.

The biggest misconception people may have about your work is that it’s easy,” Crowe said. “I have heard that a lot about the Parks and Recreation career field. We have fun as much as we can, but it’s definitely not an easy job.”

Originally from Gorham, Crowe graduated from Gorham High School and then attended Thomas College in Waterville.

She joined Windham Parks and Recreation after working for the Town of Gorham.

“I was working part-time for Gorham Parks and Recreation during and after college and I was struggling to find a full-time job, even though I graduated with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree,” Crowe said. “When I found out that Windham was looking for an administrative assistant for Parks and Rec, I jumped at the opportunity. After about two years as the department’s administrative assistant, I was promoted to Deputy Director.”

According to Crowe, her most memorable moment so far was when she leaned that she was going to be hired by the Town of Windham.

“My family is very supportive with my job and happy that I love what I do,” she said. “My mother was actually a police officer for the Windham Police Department from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s and was excited to hear I was working for the Town of Windham as well.” <