THUNDER BAY — St. Joseph Foundation’s Sister Margaret Smith Centre received recreational equipment that will impact local youth in recovery.
Tbaytel has donated more than $12,000 to Sister Margaret Smith Centre’s REC-covery Recreation and Wellness Group, allowing for the purchase of recreation supplies including snowshoes, cross-country skis and proper winter gear.
“Healthy lifestyle supports all kinds of things – our mental ability, our physical ability, and just our overall wellness as a human being,” said Gail Brescia, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Foundation, on Thursday.
The REC-covery Recreation and Wellness Group is a post-treatment program for youth ages 16 to 21 that have participated in Sister Margaret Smith Centre’s 30-day live-in treatment program.
Brescia said with this donation, Tbaytel was ‘thinking outside the box.’
“When you think about Tbaytel, they're in our neighbourhood, they're looking after our neighbours and the youth are our neighbours.
“We always need capital funding for equipment in our services and in the programs at St. Joseph's Care Group, but there are also those other things that are needed for the life and the enjoyment,” Brescia said.
Brescia thanked the community for support, as St. Joseph's Foundation continues to help the youth in our community overcome some of the challenges that they might be facing.
Andrea Docherty, vice president of clinical and community health for St. Joseph's Care Group, said the REC-covery program is an opportunity to check in on people post-treatment.
"Make sure that they're growing their skills in a healthy lifestyle, and that they are being able to connect with one another and connect with peers who are on a similar journey,” she said.
“This really will allow our youth who are actively working on their addictions to engage in nature. We live in a beautiful part of the world and our ability to take people out and enjoy nature, enjoy the trails, get out snowshoeing and skiing is really important part of recovery,” Docherty said.
Sister Margaret Smith Centre has recreation counsellors that work with the youth to find their interests and engage them in those opportunities, she said.
“Learning is so important for all of us. We're all on a lifelong learning journey and to have a bit of exposure to something potentially new or maybe something that that you're fond of doing and bring some comfort is a great opportunity. For our youth in the recovery program, an opportunity to learn a new skill, get out and be part of the community in a healthy way is critical,” Docherty said.
Sister Margaret Smith Centre programs do not require a doctor’s referral and they are all voluntary.
“It really just takes a phone call,” Brescia said.
“They just have to want to help and want to be better, to face those challenges head on. We work in partnership to lift our community, to lift our youth, to lift people who are going through addictions and mental health. To help them in any way that we can,” she added.
For more information, visit the foundation's website.
