Office Services
Sandy Parker has many titles - Office Manager, Board Executive, Underwriting Manager, and Department Supervisor. She's happiest when juggling many things at once - obviously! Sandy enjoys lots of responsibility and considers it a privilege to work "behind the scenes." She'll do whatever it takes to help other departments get things done.
As you've probably guessed, Sandy’s had many different jobs. She was an Insurance Claims Department Supervisor in Texas; a shoe store manager in New Mexico; a Collections and Foreclosure Supervisor in Texas; and a legal secretary to four attorneys in Bath, NY. Phew!
In 1994, Sandy took a job at Family Life as a secretary for Dick Snavely. Five months later, she was promoted to Office Manager. Sandy enjoys working alongside each employee of Family Life and truly loves what she does. Past jobs didn't hold any real purpose for Sandy, but since coming to Family Life, her work has meaning - the result of being in God's Will. Sandy will say, "I want to see the light from God's flashlight just ahead of me, no matter where I am.”
Sandy loves taking pictures, making handcrafted cards, bird watching, and gardening. She married her hubby, Pete, in 1980. They have 4 step-children, 5 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild and counting. Sandy lives in Avoca and loves the beautiful western countryside of Upstate New York. She wouldn't be anywhere else.
Jackie does part-time work for Family Life, but is still very involved in what goes on day-to-day at the ministry. She helps the ticket office with deposits and lends a hand in the kitchen when needed. Jackie also opens her home to guests of Family Life, hosting business professionals, missionaries, religious leaders, or anyone interested in the ministry.
When Jackie was ten years old, she was sent to an orphanage in Millersville, PA after the death of her father.
The orphanage was a good home ran by a Mennonite denomination in Lancaster County. After three years there, Jackie was sent to a foster home where she was taught how to work on a farm. This experience taught Jackie the value of hard work.
Jackie met her husband, Dick, at a birthday party when she was a teenager. Jackie was dating someone else at the time, but a year later the two ended up meeting again at a church service. Much to Jackie's embarrassment, a friend set them up "to meet" after the service let out. After two years of dating, it was clear what God had for them.
Dick and Jackie got married and went into full-time ministry. Praying daily about where they should serve, the couple eventually came to Upstate New York in 1957 to organize Area Youth for Christ (YFC). Jackie knew in her heart that being Dick’s wife meant being a strong helpmate, supporting his daily work for Christ.
As a homemaker, Jackie raised four children – a daughter and three sons, all of whom serve Family Life in some way. After the kids grew up and started families, Jackie took up gardening and landscaping. Jackie loves to read and has over six hundred books in her home library. Her life-prayer is to always honor God and to teach her children and grandchildren how to love and live as a follower of Christ.
April works at Family Life in the front office selling tickets, completing deposits, sorting mail, and helping out with anything else that can be stapled, stuffed, collated, or copied. April also is the Sharaday Coordinator, handles product sales, and the matching gift program. April will joyously help out with any office needs - whatever God needs done.
Before coming to Family Life, April worked for 10 years in the hospitality industry. She's proud to say that she worked her way up from doing maintenance chores to becoming a staff accountant in no time at all. She also worked as a assistant business manager at a private Country Club.
April knew a little about Family Life before working here because her sister was briefly employed with the ministry. The care and compassion of the staff - Christians acting like Christians (imagine that!) - drew April like a magnet. She interviewed many times before being hired. God's timing proved the best when April got the job in October 2008.
April enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her wonder dog, Barnabas. NY is such a beautiful place to live anytime of the year. She likes to be outside swimming or having snowball fights with her niece and nephew. She also loves walks in the woods, camping, canoeing, drawing cartoons, knitting, listening to music, reading, and playing board games. God promises to give us life and give it abundantly. April feels God has certainly come through for her on that one.
Lydia loves getting paid for talking on the phone and interacting with people - two of her favorite things! She shows her great love for people every day as she directs phone calls, answers questions, and helps the staff at Family Life with different projects. Lydia is blessed to be part of our front office team and is thankful for the opportunity to work with some pretty amazing ladies.
Lydia started at Family Life as a receptionist in January of 2007. Knowing the position was temporary, Lydia was unexpectedly blessed when she and her sister, Alyssa, were asked to permanently accept the job. Now alternating days at the front desk, Lydia and Alyssa greet Family Life visitors at the door with a smile. Lydia is such a friendly spirit that you’ll even “hear” her smile when she answers the phone.
Blessed with an amazing family, Lydia never takes her loving and supportive home-life for granted. Lydia grew up knowing the love of God, but she realized at age 13 that accepting Jesus was a personal decision she had to make a part from her family. Life hasn’t been without its challenges, but serving a faithful and loving God certainly brings joy during hard times.
Lydia loves having adventures, and whether they come in the form of traveling, laughing with friends, or dressing up as blonde teen pop-star, Lydia is hard-pressed to find a dull moment in her life!
Alyssa Best, Receptionist
Alyssa is a part-time receptionist at Family Life. Along with answering phones, she happily welcomes visitors and handles different projects for staff members who need extra help. Alyssa’s favorite part of the job is chatting with people who call the front desk. They make the job interesting since each person is different in personality and need.
Before moving to New York and joining Family Life, Alyssa had a few different jobs, including working as a waitress, church office assistant, and daycare provider. Alyssa’s dad, Dave Best, was led to the ministry in 2004 to work in the accounting department at Family Life. It wasn’t until two years later, when the house sold, that the rest of the family joined him from Pennsylvania. Now every member of the Best family works at Family Life in some way, shape, or form.
After the move to New York, Alyssa didn’t know what God wanted next for her life. She had recently graduated from Cosmetology school and was in the process of getting her license in New York State. Not ready to work in a salon just yet, Alyssa took a receptionist job at Family Life. The position became permanent after she and her sister, Lydia, shared the job for six months and loved it.
Outside of work, Alyssa commutes to Alfred State College where she’s getting her Associate’s Degree in Business Administration. She also cuts hair for friends and family when she has time. Alyssa enjoys skiing in the winter and playing tennis in the summer. She also loves spending time outside with her family.