Canadian Jesuit School, Campion College Celebrates 90th Anniversary

Campion celebrates 90 years

Barb Pacholik
January 28, 2008
They're called the Dream Team -- volunteers able and willing to lend a hand. And some Campion College students, staff, faculty and friends thought joining in and assisting just might be a good way to help mark the school's 90th anniversary. That's what brought about 40 people together Saturday morning at the Albert-Scott Community Centre as they made plans to spend the day doing everything from cleaning a large storage closet to organizing a small library and distributing flyers promoting healthy food. "We're really excited to do anything we can to help out and roll up our sleeves," said Sarah Hannah, one of the volunteers who made the day a family affair by coming out with her brother and mom. "We just want to be put to work," added Hannah, a fourth-year university student dressed in a red and black Campion shirt. Her brother Eric, who graduated last year from Campion, welcomed the opportunity. "We can take it all in one fell swoop, and get the work done," he said. Betty Krohn, an office manager at the Indian Metis Christian Fellowship Centre, was happy to put the extra hands to work. Asked by one of the Dream Team organizers if the centre could use some volunteers, Krohn replied without hesitation, "Well of course." "This is a real blessing to us for people to come in and say, 'What do you need?' " she added. Krohn planned to have the volunteers help inventory and organize a small library at the centre. "If nobody knows we have them (the books), they'll never be able to use them." Stephanie Molloy, a campus minister at Campion, said the idea was sparked, in part, by a controversial Maclean's magazine article that painted a bleak picture of Regina's north-central area. "It's my neighbourhood," said Molloy, who added that she feels quite safe there. Last year, contacts were made with the Four Directions Health Care Centre and the North Central Community Centre to focus on cultivating more volunteer efforts in the area. While other celebrations are being planned as part of Campion's 90th anniversary, Joanne Kozlowski, the college's communications director, said organizers decided to put out the word for volunteers to join in a one-day community service project. Molloy explained how it was a good fit for Campion's philosophy, a school rooted in the Jesuit faith. "There's more to education," she added. Molloy is hoping to build up a continuing volunteer network. Lisa Workman, community co-ordinator at Four Directions Health Centre, said the Dream Team of volunteers was already in place at Four Directions, when the North Central Community Centre wanted help with its volunteer program. When Campion came on board "it was a really good fit," she said. Workman promotes volunteerism as a way to get out of the house, build community, and also gain valuable work experience. "It's a great opportunity," she said, adding that slowly a database of volunteers is being built that can match helpers with organizations in the area who need assistance.

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