A Well Deserved Thank You
In this winter/spring 2012 newsletter, the North Central Family Centre would like to thank all of its sponsors for their help over the past years. Without help externally, the Centre would not function as it does. The least we can do is spread our appreciation by telling others about those involved with us. The following are stories that narrate the work of some of our sponsors that have not given up on the Centre, showing dedication and belief that helping us grow will make our future even more promising.
The Phoenix Group: Founder and CEO Pam Klein
What motivates an organization to sponsor another organization? There are many answers to this question, yet, in short, here is one answer specific to the Phoenix Group, which Founder and CEO Pam Klein felt displays their mission.
“For us it’s all about the heart, and giving back to the community within which we live, work, and play”, Klein said. Over the span of a few years, Phoenix Group employees had been making routine visits to volunteer for the Centre in what ever way possible. It was not much long after these routine visits that the Phoenix Group noticed the Centre’s formerly named Dirty Dozen marathon team, who are now called the Spirit of North Central. After seeing the affect the Centre had on kids by forming a team that has competed all over Canada, the United States and overseas in countries such as the Philippines, Klein and her associates felt that it was their time to contribute to the Centre’s efforts in changing people’s lives. As of today, the Phoenix Group has been giving back for 5 years straight and is committed to donate a minimum of $100,000 over that period. To achieve such a number, they host their annual Phoenix Group Charity Classic golf tournament. This event not only contributes an estimated $25,000 – $35,000 per year to the Centre, but also acts as a an open house in the sense that partners and clients of the Phoenix Group are able to meet people from the Centre and learn what their generosity is leading to.
Despite the results of their charity golf tournament, the Phoenix Group supports other initiatives the Centre has. In terms of marketing, the Phoenix Group makes brochures and inputs, as well as designs events for the Centre to promote their efforts in North Central. Furthermore, they donate kitchen supplies and food.
Thinking what they can do more of, or do better is apparent in the many minds of the Phoenix Group. For this reason, including the previously mentioned acts of caring, everyone at the Centre would like to thank the Phoenix Group for all they have done. We hope that even though 2012 is the end of the Phoenix Group’s 5 year commitment to donate to us, our strong partnership will continue into the future as a result of their graciousness.
Students Going Out of Their Way
Luther College High School has been known for their plays and sport teams that have excelled over the years. Unfortunately, clubs such as their Christian Service Club have become less noticed. Megan Gilewich, a Grade 12 student at Luther, and fellow club members have chosen to volunteer here at the Centre. These students continue to make their presence much appreciated. Every Thursday they visit the Centre and interact with our kids in a variety of ways, ranging from hanging out with them to baking cookies and playing games. Megan and her fellow club members help make differences in kids’ lives, just as everyone else at the Centre does every day. From everyone at the Centre, we look forward to the next time Luther’s Christian Service Club members pay us a visit.
The Regina REALTORS® Realize. . .
Dating back to 1912, property owners in Regina have been serviced by the Association of Regina REALTORS® Inc. Currently, the Centre can be included in this mix. Resulting form our involvement at the community level in North Central Regina and our efforts to make North Central, our home, a better place every-day, they became acquainted with our Youth Empowerment Program.
The REALTORS® realized that we teach youth to make a difference in their community, either by painting fences, cutting grass or picking up garbage. Making these differences has become much easier now, as the REALTORS® donated a generous $7500 on July 27, 2011 to assist our Youth Empowerment Program. Most recently, they have committed themselves to donate $20,000 – $25000 to renovate our courtyard.
There is not much more that can be said about such a giving organization. What we can do, is tell others what the REALTORS® have done for us. Let this be a story that exemplifies the many that the REALTORS® have helped form. Keep up the great work, and feel free to stop by for a visit anytime. Thank you to everyone at the Association of Regina REALTORS® Inc.
Why Christmas at the NCFC is Merry and Bright
Sandra Dowie and other members of St. Mary’s Anglican Church continue to open their arms up to everyone here at the NCFC. Our relations with St. Mary’s have grown since we first met them in 2003. Fundraising for the Centre and donating money for a pool table are just two examples of how they continue to do a lot for us. During the Christmas season their caring and dedicated demeanour is most prominent.
We have received turkeys, snacks, and other various foods from St. Mary’s, making Christmas even brighter at the NCFC. In all honesty, their parish family has become part of our family. They are always willing to lend a helping hand. Whether adolescents from church school come, or adults, St. Mary’s does not slow down one bit.
Three years in a row, starting in 2008, St. Mary’s has donated 50 gifts to children at the Centre. Christmas is a busy time of the year, and organizing the NCFC’s Christmas Party is a big job. “Sandy, Ivan, and the staff do a great job of it”, said Dowie.
It is clear that Dowie and her fellow worshippers from St. Mary’s take pride in making a difference. For all the times we have been helped by St. Mary’s, thank you once again. We would not be the same without you.
A promising New Year for the Spirit of North Central
Our newly named marathon team, the Spirit of North Central, has been working hard ever since Filipino immigrant, and current coach, Ben Hernando founded the team nearly 6 years ago. In effort to promote self belief and teach youth that nothing is impossible by committing oneself to the lifestyle change required to become a marathon runner, Hernando helps continue to make this former vision a reality.
The team mandates a no smoking, drinking, drug use and gang activity policy. Those involved with the team train vigorously and witness firsthand that their hard work pays off. Their persistence in learning how to change destructive habits into ones of related to living a healthy lifestyle is impeccable. Hernando’s help as a coach, as well a role model for many at the Centre, is becoming more noticeable as each year passes by.
With the Centre’s marathon season approaching, everyone is looking forward to another great year, and is proud of what has become an important aspect in the lives of many youth. The Spirit of North Central’s future might not be known in relation to how many marathons will be completed and by whom, nevertheless, with the commitment that they have shown their future will be bright. As American lawyer, orator, and politician, William Jennings Bryan, once said, “Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” Keep up working work, and never quit!
Leadership in North Central
In September 2011, fourth year Indian Social Work student from the University of Regina, Brenda Sabit, began her practicum at the North Central Family Centre. Since her start, Sabit has been playing the role of a leader amidst the many at the Centre. Having experienced a tough life and knowing what some of the people at the Centre have dealt with is key to why she chose the Centre as the place to do her practicum. Sabit says, the emotion children show when they have one-on-one time with the staff at the Centre is worth witnessing. She also voices the importance of teaching kids that “anything is possible”, even in the inner city. That is precisely what she and others are teaching those who go to the Centre. She enjoys making a difference in peoples’ lives, and finds it easy to do so based on her own experiences. When asked what she wants people to know about the Centre, Sabit replied: “There is no way around it. The Centre is welcoming, no one is judgemental, and nobody gets looked down upon, I really like it here”. Without question, Sabit is a prime example of someone who strives to make a difference. She is a true leader, and has shown others that it does not matter where you come from; everyone has the ability to succeed in life.
A Word from Our Executive Director, Sandy Wankel
Hello everyone, I would like to inform you about a young man by the name of Adam Gamble. Adam Gamble has been an out-standing website administrator, and a valued youth worker, with the North Central Family Centre for over six months. Although only 19 years old, he has already begun to live life to the fullest!
Born and raised in Regina, Adam attended Sheldon-Williams Collegiate, graduating in 2010. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at the University of Regina and will graduate in 2015. Adam is a highly creative writer who believes his craft provides a way to express the way he sees and experiences the world around him. He loves spending time outdoors and is a passionate advocate for the preservation of nature. His ambition is to work for National Geographic as a photo or video journalist.
Adam is selfless and possesses a strong passion for helping those around him, traits which were passed down to him from his father, Ken, who is a mediator and arbitrator. Giving back to his community comes naturally to Adam and he feels his life has been enhanced by doing so.
Helping young people reach their full potential is the reason Adam works at the NCFC. He has made a visible difference in the lives of the kids by playing sports, making crafts or even just talking to them when they need a friendly ear. He believes in what the Centre does and always enjoys seeing the smiles on the faces of participants when they attend agency programming. Along with his dedicated work for the North Central Family Centre, Adam spends his summers working at Camp Thunderbird, a camp for adults with special needs.
To use his aptitude for working with young people and his talent for filmmaking to promote the mission, vision and goals of the North Centre Family Centre, Adam wrote and produced “From Within: A Documentary About the North Central Family Centre.” The agency website he maintains and the newsletters he produces only comprise the beginning of what Adam hopes to accomplish!
Adam’s dedication, hard work, creativity and wonderful personality make him a
great addition to the North Central Family Centre! He is beloved by youth and
staff, and we look forward to having him work with us in the future!
Testimonials
Shyanne Obey
Dedication, passion, and heart are characteristics which Shyanne Obey exemplifies at the North Central Family Centre. Obey, a 23 year old mother, friend to many, and leader, is the Youth Activity Programmer at the Centre. She first remembers coming to the Centre when she was 14 years old, and has not stopped coming since; Obey says it is like her second home. Although it is sometimes hard to see what some of the kids go through, Obey says, “I know that in the end my efforts make a difference . . . Nobody used to want to have bottle drives to raise money for the week, but now they have been taught that nothing in life comes free.” Speaking of bottle drives, every Monday roughly $200 is raised, according to Obey. Today, that does not go too far. For this reason, Obey would like to find new ways, along with the help of others, to fundraise for the Centre. Obey says “that all of us at the Centre like to reward our kids, especially because they work so hard.” Continuing to let youth know “that just because they live in the hood, they don’t have to act a certain way, and that hard work pays off” is Obey’s vision. What she has done over the past 9 years at the Centre, and continues to do, will not be forgotten.
Bobbie Obey
Bobbie Obey, sister of Shyanne Obey, is like many people that come to the Centre, in that the she started coming because the Centre is close to her house. From the time the Centre was a small building to what it has become today, Obey says, “I’ve become really close with Sandy and Ivan”, who are the coordinators at the Centre. From learning how to make dream catchers and earrings, to how to use a photocopier and a computer, Obey has been presented with many opportunities. Her love for the arts is undeniable. Up until winter, she had been taking drawing lessons with other kids at the Centre. “An instructor would come to the Centre, and teach everyone different techniques”, as Obey says. Despite her admiration, drawing lessons are now over. She would like to see drawing lessons continue through the winter months. For this to happen, instructors will likely have to be picked up by cabs, which, of course, costs money. Describing what the Centre means to her is hard for Obey. She says that “people make differences in each others’ lives here ever day. You have to see it for yourself, so come drop in!”
Keegan Francis
Over 100 hundred youth go to the North Central Family Centre every day, but why? Keegan Francis, who has been coming to the Centre for 8 years, says it is because “the people at the Centre are the best, they are irreplaceable.” Everyone watches out for each other, and does their best to keep the kids off the streets. There are programs for all. Specifically, “Teen Night” is what Keegan continues to take part in. From going to the gym or the Imax theatre, “Teen Night” provides a chance for the teens at the Centre to get together, hangout, and have fun. Keegan also continues to be involved with the Spirit of North Central marathon team. Ben Hernando, the founder of the team, asked the kids in 2006 if they would like to create a marathon team. They said, “YES,” and the idea has stuck since. The completion of the Okanogan, Calgary, Toronto and Salt Coats Marathons are a mere fraction of their accomplishments. 2012 will mark Keegan’s 6th year being with the team. To date, he has completed 20 marathons (including half-marathons). Keegan admits that when he was young and going to the Centre for the first time, he was a bad kid. “Now, I’ve learned a lot, not only from Sandy and Ivan, but Ben too”, says Keegan. Running has become a great opportunity for Keegan. He has been to cities that he might not have ever travelled to, and has become a part of the family at the Centre. Although Keegan is one person out the hundreds that go to the Centre every week, there is no doubt that the prominence of learning and growing at the Centre continues to keep people coming back, even if it is unrealized by those who go there.
On Thursday, May 17, 2012, the NCFC hosted the “Feed the Need” barbecue dinner in co-operation with Jack FM and the Saskatchewan Drive & Elphinstone Street Dairy Queen location. The purpose of the barbecue was to bring the community together in celebration of the money that was fundraised by our sponsors, Jack FM and Dairy Queen, as well as McNair Business Development Inc., Christ Lutheran Church, Scooter’s Photos 4 U, St. and Matthews School, for our food initiative program at the NCFC. At the end of the barbecue, Jack FM donated a cheque for $12,00o! This cheque will go a long way, ensuring that we will be able to, as the name of the fundraiser says, “Feed the Need.” Thank you to everyone for making this event a success.
