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Lawnmower Service DO IT NOW! SCQ (" c p irT > from w W tparts QOO A 0 4 4 C U RREN TPO W ERM A C H IN E R YIN C . (2 block east ol Southdown Road in Clarkson) 1661 Lakeshore Rd. W. Mississauga F o r u s jr 1970s. She co-authored a book titled The Story o f a Women s Centre. Because of this work, she got involved with NAC. Shortly after moving to Oakville, LeFrancois become involved with launching The Women's Centre, which began life as a drop-in support centre for women leaving Halton Women's Place, a shelter for abused women and their chil dren. Transferred to London, England, for two years in 1984-1986, she obtained her Graduate Diploma in Women's Studies, and joined the Greenham Commons antinuclear peace group. In 1989, she was hired as executive director of SAVIS. "I admire Bev enormously," said Vicki Delany, the first of several speakers at the surprise retirement party held for her at the Knights of Columbus Hall. "She is a different kind of hero - not a sports figure or movie star hero making millions of dollars - but a hero or heroine who plugs away every day doing what she believes is right to make a difference in their world, struggling against the per ceived wisdom of the day, and certainly not being rewarded monetarily for their efforts. I strongly believe Bev is a hero ine of our times." Describing her as a woman driven by "moral courage" and "her passion," Delany said LeFrancois "has no personal agenda and never acts in the cause of self-promotion. We're here to celebrate Bev and her indomitable courage." The accolades kept coming. Oakville MP Bonnie Brown said LeFrancois "has listened to each person in this room at some point in their lives, and listened without judgement. She made us feel accepted for who we are." Brown also said LeFrancois has a "natural curiosity" which prompted her to obtain information "before anyone else had it," and "using it to awake our consciousness and prick our conscience." And LeFrancois is a motivator, con tinued Brown, "teaching us to recruit any woman with a pulse" to do anything from writing letters to participating in demon strations. Through her efforts with the Halton Violence Prevention Council, she befriended Halton Police Chief Ean Algar. "She's made a difference in the com CREMATION a "Get the Facts. Find out about the choices it provides.' -- -- m Glen O aks Memorial Gardens 3164 9th line. O akviUe Gitf 257-1100 Official Media Sponsor Editor: Wilma Blokhuis Phone: 905-845-3824 (ext. 250) Fax: 905-337-5567 e-mail: blokhuis@haltonsearch.com Compassionate feminist retires Bev LeFrancois vows to work as a volunteer By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR At her surprise retirement party. Bev LeFrancois had the last laugh. Yes, she's retiring, but she's not leav ing. "I have too much work to do as a vol unteer." said LeFrancois. admitting to have moved one of her filing cabinets into another office. "You're all here saying goodbye to me and I'm planning to still be here." she said, chuckling. To LeFrancois, retirement means she will no longer be paid - it doesn't mean her work is done. LeFrancois left SAVIS, Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services of Halton, as executive director at the end of March, and will continue to work as a volunteer. Working for equality, social justice and peace has always been a life-long passion for LeFrancois. This sentiment was voiced by speaker after speaker who paid tribute to LeFrancois' efforts, not only with SAVIS but also with the Women's Centre (Women's Information and Support Centre of Halton), Women of Halton Action Movement (WHAM), Canadians in Support of Afghan Women, and the Halton Violence Prevention Council she's co-founder of all of these organiza tions. She is also involved in organizing the annual Oakville Peace Festival - a day of music and speakers aimed at end ing violence in society and promoting understanding among various cultures. And, she inspired the annual Take Back the Night Walk, and is actively involved in the annual Candlelight Vigil to remem ber the Montreal Massacre, the murder of 14 female university students on Dec. 6, 1989. In addition, she sat on the National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC) for about 10 years during the 1970s and early 1980s, including a couple of years on its executive. Not only has she made her mark locally, but also in Port Coquitlam, B.C., where she lived prior to moving to Oakville in 1980. In Port Coquitlam, she was involved with establishing a women's centre and a shelter for battered women during the Glen Thiessen · Oakville Beaver O akville M P Bonnie B row n, left, presents Bev L eF rancois with a letter at her retirem en t p a rty a fte r expressing h er personal greetings. munity, and she taught us the true mean ing of partnership. "When we first met, we were solos, working independently (towards a com mon goal). We did not work together, and we didn't realize the value of responding to things collectively and co-operatively and joining voices," said Algar. "Bev can feel a sense of pride and accomplishment for having helped make the police service a better police service, and our community a better community." Lighting a single candle, Joey Edwardh, executive director of the Halton Social Planning Council, said her symbolic gesture "represents all the peo ple in the community Bev has touched. "She is among extraordinary individ uals who. through their work, have changed their world. "Bev, you've walked with us, in fact. you led us, men and women, standing tall together as equal participants in the social and economic development of our times. "We all share the responsibility for the support and nourishment of others, creat ing a community where you don't leave anybody behind." Out of "quiet courage," "an audacious belief," and a "vision for community," LeFrancois has voiced her opposition to violence against women and children, "individual, psychological and physical violence, plus state violence that shackles women - poverty, lack of education, bad jobs and limited political power." Long-time friend Ilia Drever paid tribute to LeFrancois in a poem she penned, titled Ode to Bev. Admitting to have used some "artistic licence," Drever noted LeFrancois began her working career as a physical education teacher in Winnipeg. While there she married her musician husband Jim LeFrancois in 1964. The couple have four children. "She is a true authentic feminist." said her friend of 22 years. "She has actively made a difference in so many women's lives regardless of the roles they lead, young old, single or troubled wives." Drever said LeFrancois "sniffs out any inequality" and is "an empathetic lis tener, compassionate and wise, without any underlying personal agenda." SAVIS, previously known as Sexual Assault Services of Halton (SASH), and for many years known as the Halton Rape Crisis Centre until recently, began life as a crisis line, said lawyer Lydia Moritz, chair of the SAVIS board of directors. LeFrancois was hired in September 1989 as its first part-time executive direc tor. The organization grew from small beginnings in a one-room office into a much larger location at Hopedale Mall, with seven full-time staff providing a 24hour crisis line, one to one peer support, support groups for survivors, public edu cation about harassment in the work place, to accompanying victims of sexu al abuse to police stations and court. "She has an unswerving commitment to the dignity of women, that they live without fear and receive non-judgmental support regardless of race, sexual orien tation, religion and so on," said Moritz. And speaking on behalf of the SAVIS, co-executive director Jacquelyn Schlatman said "Bev was always approachable and very supportive, not sometimes or often, but always." In 19%, LeFrancois decided to it was time to slow down and opted to `job share' her position. Mary O'Brien, the agency's first co executive director for four years, said "I've never met anybody for whom I have more respect and admiration for than Bev." Despite working full time, LeFrancois always had time for others, said her old est son Jay speaking on behalf of the family. "Mom, you were always very modest and you should be proud of your accom plishments. You've always done tough challenging work and society is very lucky to have people like you who do that work." Admitting to be "absolutely startled." LeFrancois admits to having forgotten to say "everything I've done I've done with other people - friends and co-workers and never alone." The BodyShaping Fitness Studio ForWomen. Spring Cloth Coats Dirk Gebhandt Maria Kinlough T ve Eaten Enough K,D, To Sink the Titanic" Student Fitness Package $250.00 & GST Includes use of: W eight Machines Cardio Theatre H o t Tub & Sauna Fitness Classes I Fitness Review 4-M onth M embership (May, June, July, August) ^^Clients must have a current student card and be over the age of 18. D iam o n d Award W in n er for O akville's Best Fitness Facility. 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