Sara Coumantarakis is one of our newest contributors as well as a recent resident of McCauley.

Sara moved to the neighbourhood in the fall of 2010. “I had been living at Cameron Avenue Co-op but needed more space when my family expanded,” she says. “I like this part of town and couldn’t afford Riverdale, so here I am, a five-minute walk from the Italian Centre.”

She became a volunteer with Boyle McCauley News through the encouragement of Gary Garrison, a long-time contributor and community member who also happens to be Sara’s partner. “Gary seemed to be having so much fun being involved with BMC News. Then he invited me to a volunteer pizza night and I felt like a fraud because I hadn’t volunteered so I asked him what I could do.”

What she has been doing is writing articles on a variety of topics. She is also very involved with the writing and researching for the booklet currently in production about McCauley’s history. “I am having a great time getting to know McCauley better by researching and writing about Church Street for the McCauley History Project. It’s a great way to get to know more people in the neighbourhood and I happen to like history.”

In addition, Sara is also the secretary on the board of the McCauley Community After School Care Association. “I am so impressed with the warmth and care that the people there lavish on the children. And I like the fact that it’s not for profit, is community centered, and affordable. And yes, there are some spaces available,” she adds.

Some people may recognize Sara as one of the Raging Grannies, who perform their songs at a variety of social justice events around the city. “I’ve wanted to be a Raging Granny from the first time I heard them,” Sara says. “I was impressed by how they can fit such good social analysis into old tunes. So, when I retired last fall and ran into a Granny at a peace event, I joined. It’s great to have fun while trying to bring attention to the issues we face.”

Tying in with her interest in writing, Sara is also a member of the Canadian Authors Association, Alberta Branch and has served on its board. Apart from writing and social justice, Sara is interested in issues concerning Alberta’s farmland. “I was raised on a farm in central Alberta and try to visit it as much as possible. I’m worried about the loss of farmland not only in Alberta but worldwide so I’m interested in learning more about and trying to live sustainably.”

When asked what she likes most about contributing to BMC News, Sara is honest about her aspirations, with a dash of humour. “Dare I confess that I’ve always wanted to write but kept putting it off due to earning a living, raising kids, and such,” she explains. “So, it’s a real kick to see my name in print and pretend that I’m a real writer like those other contributors.”

Thank you Sara for your interest in adding interesting and relevant content to our paper. We find your contributions very real indeed!