When Amy Bourne was recently hired to become the director of the Montgomery County Senior Center, she made a mission that she would stay there for a long time.

“I want this to be the last job I ever have to have,” Bourne said. “That’s my ultimate goal. I want to be able to retire from here. I don’t want to have to go anywhere.”

Bourne will replace Jill Burch from the director position. Her first day on the job was on Nov. 11 and her last day of training is scheduled for Nov. 22.

“She’s kicking butt,” Burch said. “She’s doing really good. She’s really catching on. I can really tell that she’s got her heart for the people in the community.”

Burch plans to step down from the director job after nearly four years. She became head of the Senior Center on Jan. 28, 2021 after working at Missouri Girls Town in Kingdom City.

Bourne said she found out about the job when her mother informed her that Burch was leaving.

“So I came and talked to Jill,” Bourne said. “Then, I put in for it because it’s something that I would enjoy doing. I like working with elderly people and just people in general to help the community.”

Bourne said she went to the Senior Center several times to seek any volunteer opportunities that are open.

“I didn’t get the opportunity to go drive for them,” Bourne said. “I was trying to do that. But I sent my kids here a few times to volunteer and to help out. I want to get more into myself, so this is one way to make myself do it regardless.”

Bourne worked as a manager at World Finance for five years before getting the Senior Director job. She also worked as a supervisor at Tyson Foods for 12 years.

Bourne, who graduated from Wellsville-Middletown High School in 1998, will be director of a center that serves residents from Montgomery City, Wellsville, High Hill, Jonesburg and New Florence.

“I’m excited about her taking over,” Burch said. “It’s a hard job. It’s more than a job. It takes a special person to do it. I think we finally got one.”

Bourne said after a week, she enjoys working with the staff members, volunteers and people who come into the center.

“It’s pretty good and inspirational because I like helping people,” she said. “Seeing what they do for a lot of these people is inspirational for me.”