Caring for the elderly can be emotionally difficult at times, but Tami Sours knows there’s so much life and joy working with older people. 

As director of the Senior and Events Center in Rifle, Sours’ job is to make sure the events held for the Senior Center go smoothly and to come up with ideas for the elderly population in Rifle who might not have a lot of family around or live alone. 

She’s lived in the valley most of her life, born in Rifle in the ’60s before moving away to Sweetwater and Laporte when she was six, but Sours made her way back to the valley around the same time as her dad, Paul Bernklau, the Cowboy with a Camera, and with her husband and two sons. 

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“I have three grandchildren, two grandsons and a granddaughter,” Sours said. “My granddaughter’s favorite thing to do is to go feed ‘her’ alpacas.”

Before holding her position for the city of Rifle, Sours worked in banking and at credit unions for around 20 years. Now, she’s been working with the elderly for about 10 years. 

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“I needed a change and it was something I was interested in,” Sours said. “The city manager at the time, Matt Sturgeon, told me about it.”

Sours does all the meal planning and event planning, especially for the two craft fairs they have, one coming up in April and the 2k walk and 5k race that’s coming up in June. 

“We get about 10 seniors who do the race and most of them do the 2k,” Sours said. “One senior did the whole race in her wheelchair.”

Sours’ favorite activities are lunches with the senior population, the community meals that were developed to get seniors to come and be social, active and be around their friends.  

“It’s so vibrant and active,” she said. “Just being in the middle of conversation, at a table with eight people having a good meal, and you’re just listening to them talk and laugh is so wonderful. You get hugs, people are happy to see you, and it makes you feel good.”

Working with any population with major life changes can be difficult, but Sours doesn’t dwell on it: she is a woman of a kind, understanding demeanor, and knows everyone’s circumstances and stories are different. 

“People come here from all over the country and to hear their stories is amazing,” Sours said. “I remember Mary Elder, she was here forever, and to just hear her stories about how Rifle was when she was a child was great.”

Getting into her 60s now, Sours recognizes how wonderful her life has been so far and how blessed she is. 

“My husband and I love spending time with our kids and grandkids,” she said. “We go camping, golfing, traveling and seeing our friends and family.”

Sours recalled her trip to Costa Rica with her husband. 

“We were more on the Pacific side, so more of a local area instead of a tourist area, which we really liked,” Sours said. “We had a four-wheeler trip through the jungle and we met a family on a farm, and it was just really cool to have that experience.”

Sours has spent time on the Oregon coast and visits Michigan often to visit friends. Michigan is a favorite. 

Taking her granddaughter to the alpaca farm and her grandsons to the pool in the summer are also highlights for Sours, as well as watching the wild turkeys in her backyard. 

“They’re so funny, walking around, they’re fun to watch,” she said. “Birds in general are real funny.” 

Sours has learned certain things about life since she started working with the elderly. 

“Life is precious,” she said. “Live it the best you can, don’t wait for the day, as long as you’re within your means. Do the things you want to do.”

The craft fair at the Senior Events Center is on April 12. These events are fundraisers and the funds will be used to improve the center and help those who use it. For more information, visit rifleco.org/596/Rifle-Senior-Events-Center.