Michele Wiens is a well-known face around Hope. Born in Montreal, Que. in 1951, her family moved to Windsor, Ontario while she was still an infant. Growing up in Windsor where she graduated high school, Wiens became curious about the outdoors, nature, history and physical activity.
Wiens left Windsor in 1976 with a Bachelor of Education majoring in physical education and history, and headed west with a deep sense of adventure. Upon arriving in B.C. in 1976, she worked as a teacher in the Lower Mainland and Midway B.C. Wiens made Hope her permanent home in 1980 when she accepted the position of physical education teacher at the Hope Secondary School. She completed her Masters of Education through the University of Victoria in 1981. She retired from the school in 2008 and remains active with many outdoor activities.
Wiens served as a board member of the Hope & Area Transition Society and Hope Community Services. She is very proud to be a part of the board and staff of Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor Learning, where she has been the board chair since 2008. Wiens continues to inspire people to be active and encourages them to learn about the outdoors. She loves being part of the creation of teaching and feels great joy in helping people believe that they can.
– Contributed by Johanne Losier
