It was her work at a daycare that led Annaka Westwick to pursue becoming a sheriff 15 years ago.
“I used to work with infants and toddlers and met a couple of daycare dads that were sheriffs and I got to know a little bit about the job from them,” she said. “I was always interested in law enforcement.”
Born and raised in Williams Lake, her mom is Debbie Sykes and her dad is the late Gerry Westwick.
When she is not working, she and her 13-year-old son volunteer at Thunder Mountain Speedway.
She is on the board of directors and helps out wherever she is needed, whether that is organizing the cars in the pits or back stretch flagging.
“We also volunteer with the Tri-City race series” she said.
While she was growing up, her dad raced cars, as did her younger brother Tim Westwick and herself, for a couple of years.
It was 2017 when she sold her race car.
“It’s a great group of people up there. They are more like family than anything.”
Being a mom is all she ever wanted, she noted.
“I am so lucky. He is the best thing that ever happened to me.”
As a woman in this day and age, Westwick said she thinks it is great there are so many more opportunities for women than there were when she was younger.
“Basically, the sky is the limit. Women can do anything guys can do. We are not held back by the gender roles anymore.”
Outside of work and volunteering, she enjoys camping, hunting and fishing and family events.
Williams Lake is a wonderful small town, with amazing people she said.
Recently she started working as a casual with B.C. Emergency Health Services as a driver. She is now in the process of becoming an emergency medical responder and has done some training for that position in the Lower Mainland.
“I have have a full-time job and a part-time job that both allow me to do different things, but I get to be a part of the community and work with some pretty outstanding individuals.”
Don’t miss out on reading the latest local, provincial and national news offered at the Williams Lake Tribune. Sign up for our free newsletter here.