Assets and Passages

Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2010

Assets & Passages

Wouldn't you agree that we get so focussed on planning for the future, that we forget to listen to voices from the past?

Case in point:  Mr. Xavier Michon (1920 - 1987)

Xavier was a mover and a shaker - a celebrated leader in Thunder Bay, and one of the founding grandfathers of the Friendship Centre Movement.  He both built - and used - his leadership and community "assets", in the truest sense of Servant Leadership.

Let me quote just a couple of paragraphs of his history - as the background to one of our speakers at this week's learning day.  The full text is here:  http://www.nafc.ca/Xavier.html

In his early years, Xavier responded to the plight of Ontario's Aboriginal peoples and his career became a quest to address the difficulties that many of us have faced during cultural transition. Like many of us, he experienced poverty, discrimination and even violence; never forgetting to include others in his pursuit of a better life.

In 1951, Xavier left the bakery for a job with Abitibi Provincial Paper Mill. He and another Aboriginal person endured the taunting by other workers and they felt they would have been fired if it were not for the union. During his job at the mill, Mr. Michon began volunteer work helping Aboriginal people and their children.

There were two women, Mrs. Irene Smith and Mrs. Mary Anne Baird, who asked him for his organizational skills to begin the Friendship Centre in a small 10' x 20' red brick building. He accepted the challenge and began to recruit members to form a Board of Directors by becoming a member of many organizations and appearing before others to gain community interest and recognition.

The result was an eight member Board which consisted of people from diverse backgrounds with expertise on issues which had a direct impact on the lives of Aboriginal people. Some of them included a Deputy Chief of Police, a judge, a school teacher, a jail superintendent and a furniture salesman, which resulted in the receipt of furniture for the Centre at no cost.

Through persistent efforts, Xavier received the support and some funding from influential people to improve the Centre. In the late 1960's, he visited the reserves in the Thunder Bay region bringing clothing to the destitute and encouraged people to work on improving the community and its development. He set up links for people who were moving to Thunder Bay to seek help at the Centre or access other agencies= resources. Then, after his long service and dedication to the Centre, he became the Executive Director.

In 1974, he became the President of the NAFC, President of the Native People of Thunder Bay Development and founding President of the OFIFC. He was also a member of the following establishments:

• The Welfare Council of Canada

• The Task Force on Native People of Canada Manpower

• The Ontario Government's Task Force on Natives and the Law

• The Smith Clinic for Alcoholism

• Métis and Non-Status Indian Association of Ontario

• Welfare Association of Thunder Bay

• Ontario Legal Aid

• Family and Children's Services

• Kairos

• Co-chair of the Ontario Task Force on Services to Urban Natives

It was Xavier Michon's dream to build a strong Aboriginal community, to be treated fairly, for Aboriginal people to have independence, a home for their kids, jobs to support their families and to be given a chance at life.

Many times he personally helped people with his own money for groceries or to pay a fine to keep someone out of jail.

Xavier's counseling methods were very unorthodox. As manager of a developing Aboriginal housing corporation he would often make house calls to fix leaky pipes or broken furnaces and would then provide advice to the tenants on a number of matters they would raise.

His years were not long by most standards, but he left a rich legacy to Aboriginal people, the Friendship Centre Movement, his children, grandchildren and all those who had a good life because of him.

His legacy has played a vital role for us to walk in dignity and to be proud of whom we are.

Case In Ppoint: "For the Kids"

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Thunder Bay, previously known as the Wayside and Westly Institute, operated in the East End, (Coal Docks) as a youth service since 1912.

Located on McTavish Street, the oldest street in the city, the club was just a short distance away from the original site of Old Fort William.

In the early 1900's about 2000 people, mostly new Canadians lived in the area. Wesley United Church was instrumental in establishing Wesley Institute which operated out of two building from 1912-1923.

In 1923 the present building was constructed and the organization became known as the Wayside Unit. Work with children & youth, has always been associated with the agency. In 1972, the Thunder Bay Boys & Girls Club received its official charter with the Boys & Girls Club of Canada.

"Our goal is to make our facility the focal point of this community, a place where people come to gather for events and a variety of activities throughout the year. As a true non profit agency, receiving no core funding of any type, the contributions and continued support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation is paramount to achieving our vision which will benefit the entire community," said Executive Director, Albert Aiello (Alumni 2004)

"Through theses capital projects we will increase our membership, be more visible, become energy efficient and expand our program delivery base to get more schools involved on a regular basis. I am excited at the thought of having a climbing wall in our gym and area schools participating in the activity as part of the physical education program."

Albert Aiello's Vision and Passion =...

In 2008, the Club was able to purchase and move into their new facility, the former Forest Park School. Their vision for this centre is to act as a Hub of service for Children and Youth programs to gather and operate out of.

To date, they have already been able to

host 37 different community groups in line with their vision.

As well, daily program participation has doubled to 160 members, as a direct result of their increased space. Overall the Boys & Girls Clubs of Thunder Bay serves over 2000 children & youth city wide operating out of 12 different facilities.

They aim to provide a positive experience to their members by promoting a sense of belonging, self esteem, appreciation through their programs and services in a safe and supervised environment.

Isn't it remarkable...

That 2 leaders

of 2 generations

with 2 centres

use their

vision

passion

connections  & ASSETS

to the max...

This is Community Leadership:

where both leaders

+ the community =

something much greater than any one leader could accomplish by themselves.

Imagine...your CAP Project's potential impact...