You most likely know, and love her, its Karen Angelopoulos. Karen Angelopoulos has lived in Lake Placid for 26 years and has done so much for the community. She currently works as the administrative assistant to the superintendent at Lake Placid Central School and as the district clerk for the school board. Angelopoulos is also a big volunteer and is always helping and looking out for the needs of people in the community.

Q: When and where were you born?

A: “I was born in Altus, Oklahoma.”

Q: What are your parent’s names and how are they spelled?

A: “My dad’s name is Michael Gentile and (my mom is) Kathleen Gentile.”

Q: Do you have any siblings? If so what are their names?”

A: “I have one of each. My brother Ron Bright and my sister Michelle Weiland.”

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: “My dad was in the Air Force so we moved around a lot. But, I’ve lived in Oklahoma, Nebraska, Illinois, New York and New Hampshire.”

Q: How long have you lived in Lake Placid?

A: “I moved here in 1998.”

Q: What brought you to Lake Placid?

A: “So my husband Dino, took a job at Adirondack Medical Center as an athletic trainer, which brought us here then.”

Q: Where are you employed?

A: “I work at Lake Placid Central School in the superintendent’s office.”

Q: How long have you worked there?

A: “I have worked here since May of 2007.”

Q: What is your position?

A: “I am the district clerk to the school board, and I am the administrative assistant to the superintendent.”

Q: Describe your responsibilities.

A: “So my responsibilities for working as the administrative assistant to the superintendent, I do a lot of stuff with teacher certification, hiring of employees, the keeping of all their personal records and throughout the school year doing various projects. Like, it was BEDS day (data collecting) in the beginning of October and I had to compile a bunch of information and put it in the portal. We have safety plans that need to be changed every year. I have to assign school safety training to all the employees, stuff like that.”

Q: Please name other ways you serve in our community.

A: “So all of my volunteering stuff? Okay, I made a list so I wold be able to do this. So since I have lived in Lake Placid, I have volunteered with the Lake Placid Youth Athletics Association, the Skating Club of Lake Placid, the World University Games, Zonta, St. Agnes Catholic Church, the Ironman, the Lake Placid Marathon, CYC, The Lake Placid Classic, other sporting events like, luge, bobsled. I was also on the F.R.I.E.N.D.S committee (of Lake Placid Elementary School), Empire State Games, the International Childrens Games, St. Josephs, I worked with the Alanon group there and I was also most recently part of the Lake Placid Thrift and Thrive organizing committee.”

Q: Why do you choose to be involved with all of them?

A: “When I first moved here, I didn’t know anyone and I was trying to get to meet new people and that’s how I started to get into volunteering. And I have found that volunteering makes me feel better. So when I do things for other people, I feel better.”

Q: What has been one of your favorite roles over the years?

A: “When I have worked with most of the volunteering things, I like to help organize, I like to be part of the organizational part of it.”

Q: What was the favorite thing you volunteered for? Describe your experience and talk about why it was your favorite.

A: “The favorite thing I volunteered for was FRIENDS. While on the Board of Directors for FRIENDS, all the things we did was for the children at the elementary school. Every year we did a carnival in the spring as one of our fundraisers. It was fun to see all the children come in and enjoy themselves.”

Q: Tell a personal story from one of the times you volunteered. (Something either positive or challenging)

A: “One year while volunteering for Ironman run aid station, I was overwhelmed with the day. There were so many volunteers to organize and it was a lot of work keeping both sides of the street going with the volunteers. Sometimes people would not show up for their shifts and it was so frustrating. Setting up early enough so that we were ready for the first runners to come through, while the bikers were still using the same course, was always tricky. Being careful to cross the street back and forth and making sure not to get in the way of the bikers. The day started early and went until very late at night. I have to say it was the most exhausting volunteer activity that I did.”

Q: Do you consider yourself a strong woman? If so why, if not why not.

A: “I do think I am considered a strong woman. I feel that with my background of working in the superintendent’s office, and that I also worked for Lake Placid Sports Medicine for 5 years, and before I moved here, I worked in many law firms in New Hampshire and I think that has helped me to be a stronger individual.”

Q: Is there anyone in your life, who you consider to be a strong woman?

A: “I am going to say my daughter, Alexa.”

Q: Why?

A: “Because I think that she has … Well, Alexa has gone to school to get her bachelors degree, she also got her masters degree while working full time. And she has lived on her own. She just is so very well put together and I am really proud of her for being a teacher, especially in this day and age.”

Q: Who in popular culture, sports or business, in today’s life, do you consider to be a good role model and a strong woman for young girls growing up in todays age?

A: “Is it OK, that I dont really know them, but I like what I read? Is that OK? Alright, Melanie Perkins. She is the cofounder and CEO of Canva. Do you know what Canva is? So here it says, “When Melanie Perkins realized it took an entire semester of college to learn just the basics of graphic design, she wanted to make a change. When she was 19, she started pitching the idea for Canva, an online platform that makes it quick and free to create professional designs. Perkins is one of the youngest female tech CEO’s in the world and grow her company to one billion in just 6 years. What do you think of that?”

Like Karen said, “Volunteering makes me feel better. So, when I do things for other people, I feel better.” There are so many great volunteering opportunities in the community, Karen named just a few. Check out volunteering opportunities posted in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and in the Lake Placid News and find something you’re interested in volunteering for and jump right in.