After working at Mariposa Pharmacy for 10 years as a pharmacist assistant, Lynne Westerby is calling it a career.
Westerby, a Brampton native, worked in the pharmacy business previously in Orangeville before moving to Orillia in 2005 to become a teacher at Bright Horizons Montessori School.
“I was there a really long time but then started teaching down in Barrie,” she explained. “That’s when I decided that instead of going to teach in the south end of Barrie every day, I’d prefer to work at a pharmacy again.”
Westerby, 64, was hired by Mariposa Pharmacy owner Mehrnaz Asadollahi, who at the time was operating the pharmacy at the Target in Orillia Square mall.
“That’s where I started 10 years ago,” Westerby explained. “It was a nice store, but a huge shocker when they decided to pull roots and be gone.”
Just weeks after the Target closure, Westerby helped Asadollahi open Mariposa Pharmacy on Colborne Street West.
“The two of us scrambled to find another location and to set up within a couple of weeks,” she said. “We were together until midnight some nights stocking shelves because we didn’t want there to be a big interruption of the service to the patients.”
There has never been a dull moment since, she quipped.
“The pace during the day can be pretty fast,” she said. “A lot of things are time sensitive, and you got to do it.”
Westerby says she has never complained about the big workload because the days go by quickly.
“It’s not one of those jobs where you are waiting for quitting time ever,” she said. “It’s always go, go, go.”
Westerby says her favourite part of working in a pharmacy is the relationships built with clients and the staff.
“That’s a really big thing to me,” she said. “We get a lot of wonderful and appreciative feedback for the help we provide.”
Westerby says she would like to work another 10 years, but she wants to get ahead of father time.
“I’ve been noticing what’s happening to people all around me,” she said. “They wait too long to retire, they develop medical issues, and then they can’t really enjoy themselves in retirement because of challenges and restrictions.”
Westerby admits that retirement has been a tough subject to talk about and it comes with some feelings of fear.
“It’s a lot of goodbyes,” she said. “Walking out of here on my last day is something I’ve run through my mind so many times and it’s going to be really hard.”
A lot of clients have given Westerby words of encouragement during the transition period, which has helped to make her feel more confident about her decision.
“I’m going to be doing a lot of snowmobiling, boating, fishing, and hiking along the waterfront,” she said. “I’m also going to have more opportunities to spend time with my son who is 32 now.”
Westerby, who has a heart for animals, also plans on volunteering her time with the Orillia Animal Centre, Comfie Cat Shelter, and local wildlife centres.
Westerby thanks Asadollahi for giving her the opportunity for a rewarding career.
“She’s kind of been the wind beneath my wings a lot over these past years,” she said. “We’ve become really close friends and I’ve enjoyed the time we’ve had together.
Westerby’s official last day is March 20, but she will continue to help with the pharmacy's delivery service.
