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Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: WILMA BLOKHUIS Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 250) Fax 905-337-5567 email biokhuis@haltonsearch.com · WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 8,2006 S a lv a tio n A r m y L ig h th o u s e p a s s e s f ir s t y e a r By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF While former Salvation Army Lighthouse resident Shawn Dickey regards Oakville's first per manent emergency shelter as a beacon of hope in practice as well as in name, its first year of opera tion proves the entire community is necessary to keep that lantern burning. In speaking to the staff, clients and volunteers of the Lighthouse - which celebrated its first anniversary Jan. 25 - it quickly becomes obvious that though its walls stand alone, people from all quarters of town have embraced what transpires inside them. In fact, this inaugural year was punctuated by a continuity of sup port that has been steadfast and widespread, from service clubs and churches to volunteers and those who "The first year s tuffe d has been an money into adventure." Sally Ann kettles 'at Acting shelter . Christmas. director " W e Rachel Sawatzky couldn't do it -all on our own," said Community Services Co-ordinator Aisha King. After overcoming initial oppo sition from some members of the public, the $2.24-million, 10,000 sq. ft. Lighthouse - located on Redwood Square at the South Service Road just west of Fourth Line - accepted its first residents on Jan. 25, 2005, moving some over from the defunct Country Squire Lane site. Before that, it had bounced around from loca tion to location, but now possess es a sense of stability that reas sures clients they can stay in their own community while they get their lives on track. "The first year has been an adventure," said acting shelter director and head counselor Rachel Sawatzky, explaining the Country Squire Lane site featured 12 beds, the new site 25. (The shel ter is designed to expand to a 40bed maximum.) "There's been some growing pains moving from a small building to a large one, but we've u§ed the space to maintain a feeling of community like the old building." In a nutshell, the Lighthouse is a centre for reaching individuals.especially young people - at a point when the downward spiral of their lives can be halted through T H A N K S F O R T H E H E L P : Former Salvation Army Lighthouse resident Shawn Dickey was glad the emergency shelter was there when he needed it. counseling, learning job search techniques and more. Upon entering the facility, visi tors are met by a spacious com mon area where residents can interact. Close by is the medical room, where a doctor on retainer sees to clients' needs every Tuesday. The dining room is also used as a computer centre, for Bible stud ies and workshops and as a place for Alcoholics Anonymous to meet once a week. Adjacent to this is the servery and kitchen that can be expanded if the shelter needs to grow. The female wing, which has washrooms and a laundry closet, features 10 single-bed rooms, each with a window. The male wing includes 15 beds (seven double rooms, one single), washrooms and two laundries. Both wings are handicapped accessible and every individual room can be locked. All this, says Sawatzky, helps main tains residents' dignity, while making them feel safe. "This is not your stereotypical shelter," she added. Major Rolf Guenther character ized the past year as a challenging one, but ultimately a "positive experience." "I'm very satisfied. We've been well supported by the community like churches and'bther agencies," he said. "They are really interested in what we're doing." Public goodwill and donations of time aside, said Guenther, one- LIESA KORTMANN I OAKVILLE BEAVER H A P P Y A N N IV E R S A R Y : The Salvation Army Lighthouse on Redwood Square recently celebrated its first anniversary. third of the shelter's $600,000plus a year budget (Halton Region funds the rest) must be raised by the Oakville Salvation Army. "It's costly," he added. "It all takes money." Fortunately, Guenther contin ued, the public recognizes the work they do and helped the Oakville Salvation Army surpass its $210,000 Christmas fundrais ing goal by just more than $16,000. (The Fairway Hills Residents Association's annual Christmas Eve Luminary Display alone generated $8,752.80.) "People really pitched in," he said, explaining that a portion of this money was set aside for the Lighthouse. These funds have, and will con tinue to be well-spent, considering that since opening the shelter has helped 380 people and averaged 75 to 80 per cent of its capacity. It is often full. This fact, said Sawatzky, is simultaneously gratifying and sad: on one hand, the shelter's exis tence has proved invaluable, while on the other, it's discouraging to see so many people in need. see shelter page 18