Huron Expositor, 2007-08-08, Page 6Page 6 The Huron Expositor • August 8, 2007
Opinion
Katimavik taught me about the hungry, hurting and lonely ,
•
From Page 4
worthwhile. I was able to better a
person's life by taking the worry of
providing food for themselves and
their families, so that they could put
more focus on other important
issues in their life.
I also came to realize how the
society stereotypes the people that
depend on food banks for their
source of food. All too often we
quickly make judgements on why
they are forced to use the food
banks, but little do we realize that
people using a food bank are just
like you and me, but have run into
some unfortunate luck.
That bad luck could be a sudden
loss of a job, having to provide for
more than just their own children,
health reasons stopping them from
working or a fire that has destroyed
their home and all of their belong-
ings. These situations could happen
-to any one of us.
My second placement was in Port
Colborne, Ont. at New Port Drug
and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre.
Although these people have made
a few bad turns in their life or have
suffered traumatic events far
beyond some of us could even imag-
ine, I found it quite rewarding. I
was a part of their lives during their
transitional stage. They had made
the choice to leave drugs and alco-
hol behind and turn their lives
around. I was a part of their lives
when they were seeking help and I
was able to do so.
I may have only been a listening
ear or a friendly smile, but a lot of
times this all they needed, for such
simple essentials of life weren't
there for them when they needed it
the most.
During this work placement, I
also came to discover once again
how society judges and puts drug
addicts and alcoholics into a very
closed off box from the rest of soci-
ety. I was one of those people in
society that did this prior to work-
ing at New Port.
These people are no different than
you or I in many ways, but often
they have suffered excruciating
pain in their lives that many cannot
relate to. They did not have the
right tools or
skills to cope
with it other
than turning to
drugs or alcohol.
It was their
escape from the
pain. Little do we
realize many of
You are invited to attend these area churches
St. Thomas
Anglican Church
A Co peg on d the Penh of The tbyspri
Jarvis St. Seaforth 519-527-1522
Rector4The Rev'd Sue Malpus. M. Dv
Sunday, August 12
Worship at 9:30 am
Everyone Welcome!
Bethel Bible Church
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
519-527-0982
Sunday Worship 10:00 am
Pastor Mark Kennedy
EVERYONE WELCOME
NORTHSIDE UNITED
CHURCH
54 Goderich St. W.
Rev. John Gould
Sunday August 12
Worship 11 am
Seaforth Lions Park
Potluck Lunch to Follow
Need a Rile? Call 519-527-1573
Sermon The Divine Intruder
Everyone Welcome.
St. James Roman
Catholic Church
Welcomes you
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
519-527-0142
Sunday Mass 11:00 am
St. Patricks, Dublin
Sat. Mass 5 pm - Sun. Mass 9 am
Fr. Chris Gillespie
Egmondville
United Church
August 12
CLOSED FOR HOLIDAYS
"God Doesn't take
Holidays but we do"
First Presbyterian
Church
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Rev. Henry Huberts
is on vacation
NO SERVICE
AUG.12, 19TH
Body
Basics
By Jen
+Deep Muscle
Therapy
+Reflexology
OReiki
*Ear Candling
Jennifer
McChnchey
79 Nelson Sr Hensall
519-262-2952
us wouldn't have the coping abilities
if we were to find ourselves in their
shoes.
My last placement was in
Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
at Eagle Park Health Care Facility
Nursing Home. Working directly
with the residents in the activities
department and physiotherapy unit,
I was able to enhance the daily life
of the residents.
All too often these people in the
nursing homes become the forgotten
ones, hidden away in their rooms,
their stories untold, their wisdom
unable to be passed on for there is
no one there to listen. Some resi-
dents have daily visitors, their
wives/husbands/children make a
daily effort to visit their loved ones
but many go on without a single vis-
itor for days, weeks or even months.
They are left waiting in their rooms
in search of a familiar loving face.
Fortunate for both the residents
and myself, I was one of those peo-
ple for them. I had the time to sit
and listen, but much to my enjoy-
ment I was able to learn so much
about "the days gone by."
These wonderful people brought a
smile to my face and made my day
each day I was there, just as I was
able to do for them. At the end of
each workday, I gained knowledge
of history with a personal touch.
My learning experiences didn't
stop at my volunteer placements.
Many of my most cherished experi-
ences happened while spending
time with what started out to be 11
complete strangers that I lived with
throughout the program. These peo-
ple became my family.
Living in a house with people that
we did not choose, forced us to step
outside of our comfort zones and
usual friendship types, friendships
that we don't naturally attract. We
got to know people that we would
If you are unemployed or on El
Attend A
FREE WORKSHOP
Call The Centre for Employment & Learning
TODAY TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS
519-524-2515
519-482-1700
519-235-0471
519-527-0305
519-357-4995
EMPLOYMENT
ONTARIO
Goderich
Clinton
Exeter
Seaforth
Wingham
Employment Ontario programs aro funded
In part by the Govemmen1 of Canada.
not normally associate with or
choose a friendship with. It broke
down the walls of stereotypes and
enhanced the old saying "Don't
judge a book by its cover."
Each and every one of us were in
the same vulnerable position of
being away from home and away
from our family, friends, the ones
we turn to in times of need. All we
had was each other.
The relationships we were able to
build will last a lifetime, although
now we are spread apart across this
large country it is not enough to
break the bonds that we have
worked so hard for over the dura-
tion of nine months.
When spending almost every wak-
ing moment and small living spaces
with these people you quickly learn
yet appreciate their differences and
what they bring to the group and its
dynamics.
They were there in happy, sad,
good and bad times; just like a fami-
ly. They were the only ones that
could understand what you were
feeling; after all they were living it
with you. These people that started
out to seem so different from myself
and the only thing we had in com-
mon was that we were participants
in a program together, are now far
beyond being my best friends in
life; they will always be there for me
even though thousands of miles sep-
arate us.
The list of how Katimavik has
provided me with challenges, life
lessons and realizations on how I
now want to live my life is endless. I
believe that my nine months in this
program has offered me much more
than any post secondary course.
Not only did I meet hundreds of
amazing people along the way, I
took with me an understanding and
knowledge about society, the cultur-
al diversity of this country, and the
impact that just one individual can
have in changing it.
Katimavik may not always be for
everybody but it certainly was the
program for me.
a non-perishable
food item for
our food bank
fills the bag