Debra Brobst, longtime manager of Northampton Banquet and Event Center, 1601 Laubach Ave., will be retiring at the end of December.

“You get to know when it’s time for someone new to come in,” she said. “I don’t want to go home 11:45 p.m. and be back here 7 a.m. anymore. When my grandson has a swim meet, I want to be able to go.”

Her job as manager is very demanding, she said, and encompasses everything from the planning to the execution of any given event. Some of the events held at the center include family occasions, such as weddings, birthdays and reunions. The center also hosts corporate functions, fundraisers, seminars and more.

As the manager, Brobst is the one who initially meets with people to help plan the event. But the job doesn’t end there. She then goes on to coordinate all the people who work at the center.

“It involves scheduling cleaning crews, setup crews and cooks, waitresses and bartenders,” she said. “You also need to figure out how much food is needed, place the orders and check deliveries to make sure you’ve got everything you need.”

It’s very time consuming, she noted. Many days start 6 a.m. and end 9:30 p.m. or later. But it’s also very rewarding, she reported.

“You know it’s going to be something people are going to remember forever and ever, and you’ve got to make sure that everything is planned out to a T,” she said. “That’s the important part - make sure you pay attention to detail.”

When Brobst landed the job as manager at the community center, she came in with little experience. She started out as a hairdresser and then took a job at Schisler Funeral Home for 20 years.

When the funeral home cut her hours to part time, she applied at the community center because she had a true interest in the work. She got lucky, and they hired her. She had experience working with people, but the rest had to be learned. After six months of training, she was on her own.

“I remember sitting in this chair and saying, ‘Oh my God, I’m on my own. This building is all mine, and it’s my responsibility,’” she recalled.

She added she had a solid support system to help.

“This place had an excellent crew, and they knew how to run things,” Brobst said. “They were a big help. Many of them have been here as long as I’ve been here.”

She built up their trust and proved she wasn’t going to change everything. She said that worked out really well. She has also gained the trust of those groups that return to the community center annually.

“You get to know them from working with them so much, and pretty soon, it feels like you’ve been friends forever,” she said.

The people, from the ones she works with on a daily basis to the ones she meets with for annual events, are what Brobst will miss the most.

“When you’re the manager, people want to know you’re going to be there for their event. They look for you,” she said.

That’s a lot of responsibility, she added. However, it commands a lot of love and respect, in her opinion. Some of these same people have come to her with plaques in her name and hugs and goodbyes.

“It’s a bittersweet goodbye. It’s going to be tough,” she said.

Brobst is currently training her successor, former restaurant manager Teah Gellock, who will take over the position in January 2022.

As far as her retirement, Brobst said she’s looking forward to spending more time with her family, especially her grandchildren. On the other hand, because her husband, LeRoy, who is Northampton Borough manager, is still working, she faces being home alone for a while.

She doesn’t expect she’ll take another job right away but guesses her love of the camaraderie among people will eventually lead her to some type of work or volunteering in the community.