SUNDERLAND — Christyl Drake-Tremblay, a nearly lifelong resident of Sunderland, planned to run for Select Board eventually. She just didn’t know it would be so soon.
“The Select Board was something I wanted to wait to do until retirement,” she said. “But when the seat came open, I was like, well … now’s the time to do it.”
Drake-Tremblay, who is also deacon at First Congregational Church of Sunderland, was elected to serve a three-year term on the board at the annual election on May 1, assuming the seat of former board member Scott Bergeron, who chose not to seek reelection this year.
The board, before a brief reorganization that saw Tom Fydenkevez nominated as the new chairman, welcomed Drake-Tremblay to her first meeting last week.
“Welcome, Christyl, to the first of many meetings,” said board member David Pierce.
Drake-Tremblay has worked at National Grid for 35 years and is married with two children. With the exception of going away for college, she’s lived in Sunderland the majority of her life.
She said her parents instilled in her the importance of giving back to the community.
“I grew up in this town,” she said. “This town educated me; it provided a safe place to live between the Fire Department and the Ambulance (Department).”
Growing up, she elaborated, her parents were part of the Sunderland Fire and Ambulance departments (in the days before the town opted to receive ambulance services primarily through South County EMS).
As her way of giving back to the community, she also served for a period of time on both departments until it was no longer a good fit between her full-time job and raising a family.
With her experience at National Grid, Drake-Tremblay said she is interested in alternative power sources, particularly solar and other forms of clean energy.
“I’d like to see it expanded, or find ways to improve what we already have in town,” she said.
Ultimately, though, she’s in the role to give back to the community she’s called home since she was a child.
“The town has provided for me and my children,” Drake-Tremblay said. “(The Select Board) is just something that I can do to provide back.”