DADS
Flame Game!
by Derek Jones
Watching a young boy meticulously re-arrange everything that was
on display on the Community table reminded me of something that
I would have done (and did do) as a child. He smiled as he watched
me arrange the pucks, posters, brochures and cards again. It wasn't
a mean smile but a playful one. I smiled back and laughed to myself
- the 'DADS display' at the Flames Game was about the children,
after all.
It was a hectic three hours. The game went into overtime and so
did we. Curious people wondering how to get a free hockey puck (with
the DADS logo on it) surrounded the table. The Canadian Tire stores
(Rothesay, East and West) donated 150 hockey pucks and Key Industries
silk-screened the DADS' logo onto the pucks. The pucks were given
out to the children around the table and Fleaburn passed out a few
pucks as well. Smiling faces was the norm as dads posed with their
children for a picture against the backdrop of the DADS display.
(The digital camera was supplied by Parkway Mall Access centre free
of charge and they provided space, later in the week, at the centre
to distribute the photographs.)
The crowd was also wondering aloud what is the "Dads Making
A Difference" initiative. Dads Making a Difference is a new
community initiative headed up by a team of community partners that
includes Family Services Saint John, The Saint John Business Community
Anti-Poverty Initiative, The Family Resource Centre, Big Brothers/Big
Sisters, VON Healthy Baby & Me ,Clarica Life Insurance Company
and The National Crime Prevention Centre. This initiative hopes
to make "father friendly" services the norm in Saint John.
Dads Making A Difference was launched June 15th 2001. The initiative
has three main goals: To create a supportive community environment,
in which we reinforce the message that Dads Make a Difference; to
provide support and resources to dads in their role as a parent;
to provide mentors to fathers to help reinforce effective parenting
roles.
There will be an ongoing community needs assessment process, from
which it will be determined whether to keep the programs as is,
change them, or develop new programs.. There will be searches of
other programs across Canada and elsewhere to see if there is a
successful model or program that can be adapted for the needs of
fathers in Saint John to complement new and existing programs.
What's ahead? A continued awareness campaign spreading the important
message that dads are an integral part of raising a healthy, well
adjusted child. Programs for fathers to help support their important
role will be developed. A computer camp for dads and their children
should be available in the coming months. Focus groups involving
dads to find out what they would like in terms of support and getting
even more fathers involved in this initiative as well as in their
children's lives!
Although some would look at the Flames game as having no winner
(it was a 2-2 tie), I prefer to look at it as a win/win. That is
the hope of this program as well - a win/win for everyone! Fathers
that are involved in their child's life can improve the child's
economic situation as well as their social and educational environments.
Dads Making A Difference thanks everyone who participated in making
the Community Table display a success. Special thanks to the Canadian
Tire stores, the Saint John Flames, the Parkway Mall Access Centre,
and to Paul Leblanc and Fred White for their invaluable help/support
before, during and after the event.
Those interested in more information on this program, or information
on becoming a volunteer, please contact Derek Jones, Co-ordinator
of Dads Making a Difference, at (506) 658 9340 or by e-mail at dgjones@rogers.com.
Click
here
to view more photos at the Community Lens Photo Gallery
return to Family Services
Saint John
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