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21 · Friday, July 16, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN By Nathan Howes OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Phone: 905-337-5560 Fax: 905-337-5571 e-mail: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com Oakville Parent Child co-founder steps down F or the past 30 years, Jill Snidal has been a mother to two children. She has also been a mother figure to thousands of other families as one of the founding members behind Oakville Parent-Child Centre, a non-profit organization that provides support to families with young children. On June 21, she stepped down as executive director. When Snidal moved here from Manitoba in 1980, her family was just beginning. She had a newborn baby and a two-year-old. She began meeting other women in the Oakville community who all felt there weren't enough services that supported them as mothers. Shortly after, they felt that they could develop something that helped them in their parenting role, as well as other families in the community. This is when their program, "Mothers are people too" was born. "We were just a group of parents who were looking for something we could do with our children," said Snidal. "That was the first program that started which was before there was even an Oakville Parent Centre." At the time, they operated the program with a group of volunteers at Knox Presbyterian Church in downtown Oakville. They hired a staff to provide a program for kids and invited speakers to come in and talk about parenting and child development. This continued for two or three years. In 1983, the same group of volunteers continued to grow and that year they formed the Oakville ParentChild Centre and recruited a board of directors. "We were still very, very small, running one or two programs, with no funding at all at that time," said Snidal. "We became a family resource centre and then became the Ontario Early Years Centre in 2002. "Essentially I've just continued doing that work we started. Over 30 years, all sorts of things have happened, changed and transpired I would have to say." As the years went by, the centre her husband Rick, were always working and participating in the fundraisers and renovation projects. Working with other families has helped Jill to understand her own a bit better. "I think it makes you very appreciative of your kids and the relationships you have with them. You hear how some families really struggle as their kids move through different stages in their life," said Snidal. "We've worked very hard to have a good, strong communication with our kids. "I think it just makes you really appreciate what you do have, and as a result of that you value it and work hard at it. It's not an easy job being a parent." Even though she has stepped down in her official role, Snidal will continue to be involved with the company and in the community, as she plans to work with Halton planning groups looking at the implementation of early learning programs. "My hope is to continue to work with both the Oakville Parent-Child MICHELE SIU / OAKVILLE BEAVER Centre and the community to champion the importance of children havHAPPY RETIREMENT: Jill Snidal (centre) co-founder and executive director of the Oakville-Parent Child Centre, is ing opportunities to learn and parwished a happy retirement from Jill leonard (left), former chair of the Oakville-Parent Child Centre board, and current chair ents having support. Luc Brunet. "I've also started to volunteer with grew and changed; expanding on the grams focused on families with chil- a very important part of the job, even a couple of organizations. One of number of families involved and the dren with special needs. though as the executive director I them is called, Cottage Dreams," said number of programs that they Chris Alexander is on the board of could have moved away from that," Snidal. "This is an organization that offered. directors for Oakville Parent-Child explains Snidal. "But it wasn't some- matches families who've had a mem"We started as a small group with Centre and has known Snidal for a thing that I wanted to give up. So the ber of the family go through cancer probably 20 or 25 parents that were year and a half. He explains Snidal's most rewarding part for me is actual- treatment with someone who is willapart of our "Mothers are people too" passion and dedication for the centre. ly having that contact with parents." ing to donate their cottage for a week. program," said Snidal. "Now we are "She is a tremendous leader. She Despite all the positivity and Kim Richardson, one of the proservicing just over 2,000 families consistently impresses me in her progress Snidal has seen with the gram managers, has known Snidal every year with a broad range of pro- knowledge. She always says the cen- centre, there are obstacles that affect for 12 years now. grams that look at parenting educa- tre is her "baby", which it really is," the success of their programs, both Snidal has a reputation as a tion, child development and early said Alexander. "She has this incredi- now and in the future. Funding is worker who is committed to every learning. ble ability to be able to remember 95 one of them. part of her job and likes to roll up "I think everything has changed per cent of the people who come "Lack of funding is always an issue her sleeves and pitch in, since I started, to be quite honest, through, what their kid's names are for us. We get less than 50 per cent of Richardson said. except for the mission and commit- and what schools they go to." our budget from the province "Jill always ensures that the cenment we have to supporting families The most rewarding part of through the ministry of children and tre always goes that extra mile. She with young children. That has been Snidal's job has been getting to know youth services," said Snidal. "We're will do it if she sees something to be what we started with and what we all the parents who have came into constantly being creative with done," she said. "It could be from continue to do." the program and knowing that the fundraising efforts, funding applica- hanging pictures and sweeping the The Oakville Parent-Child Centre support that the centre provides tions and looking for donations in the floors to helping a child or a parent. has grown to include specialized pro- made a difference when they've community." Jill is there for everyone." grams, such as ones designed just for struggled with parenting challenges Jill wasn't the only Snidal involved At the end of July, Snidal will pass dads. They also have programs tar- and difficulties. with the centre and helping out with the torch to Robin Garrell, who has geted for parents struggling with "For me, having that one-to-one projects and fundraisers. Her sons worked as an assistant director for post-partum depression and pro- contact with parents has always been Dave, now 30 and Eric, 32, along with the United Way of Oakville.