~MEET YOUR COUNCIL~
Councilwoman Janet “Jan” Sikes
Councilwoman Sikes believes her service to the community is a “calling.” A lifelong resident of Downriver and 45 years in the City of Woodhaven – she realized that there was more work to be done following a record career of 30 years in the Fire Department – 18 of those as its leader. Newly retired, she decided to run for a council position in November of 2015 and once elected to a four-year term set about to make a difference where she could best use her acquired strengths and experience.
Education played a major role in her job and she earned a Master’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Investigation and Hazardous Materials. Additional study levels came in Fire Science and she also became a Licensed Paramedic.
Recognized for her leadership skills, she served on the Downriver Fire Investigative team for 20 years and was a member of the Federal Disaster Management Assistance (DMAT) team.
In the community, she has been involved in the Goodfellows charity organization for some 25 years; 20 of which have been as its president. She was a member of the local Rotary Club for many years.
Married to George Sikes for 46 years, he too shares her passion for service and was a member of the fire department for 36 years. The couple have four adult children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Schoolchildren throughout the district have known of her second family – several Bulldogs that she took with her to various Fire Prevention activities and local school programs. Currently, she owns “Teddy,” an English Bulldog and “Bart,” a French Bulldog.
“Woodhaven to me,” she says, is the kind of place where people do not merely ask “How are you?” as a formality. “They care about the answer, just as I do.”
Original source can be found here.
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