Following more than four years of continued growth, Northeast Opportunities for Wellness, Inc. (NOW) is looking for an executive director.

The new position was formally created on July 8, via unanimous vote of the NOW Board of Directors, and marks a significant milestone in NOW’s ongoing efforts to help Quiet Corner families access fitness, nutrition, and athletics. Since 2009, NOW has sponsored free football, soccer, and basketball clinics, built and maintained athletic fields in Canterbury and Putnam, and launched the “You Play. We Pay.” scholarship program to help local families afford the cost of youth athletics. The group also hosts several popular events and fund-raisers, including the NOW Road Race, the Taste for NOW, Spin For NOW, and a recent Touch-A-Truck event. In four short years, NOW has touched the lives of thousands of children and families, awarded more than $14,000 in scholarships, and established partnerships with two dozen local groups.

With a volunteer board and only a few part-time employees, however, the continued growth has proven to be both a blessing and a burden.

“I suppose you could call this one of those ‘nice problems’ to have,” said NOW President Allan Rawson, whose family founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit. “We’ve grown so much as an organization that in order to handle it all, we could either scale back on what we’re doing in the community, or we could take the next step and hire a full-time employee. We chose to take the next step.”

Once hired, NOW’s first full-time employee will be tasked with both streamlining the nonprofit’s ongoing initiatives and expanding its ability to serve more children and families in northeastern Connecticut. The executive director will also become a key player in some of NOW’s most significant projects, including the potential multi-million dollar renovation of the Putnam Keech Street armory into a regional recreation facility.

As the search for an executive director begins and the organization marks a significant milestone in the life of a nonprofit, NOW Vice President Keith O’Hara said that much like the children it serves, NOW’s first four years have marked a period of remarkable growth and development.

“First we were crawling. Then we got up on two feet, and we’ve been taking some baby steps,” O’Hara said. “And now, before you know it, we’re ready to run.”

Details on the job description and application process for NOW’s executive director position can be found online at www.nowinmotion.org.