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The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 11, 2006 - 3 Snidal' s baby has grown up By W ilma Blokhuis OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF _ Jill Snidal has 25 reasons to cele brate -- one reason for every year the Oakville Parent-Child Centre (OPCC) has been in operation. The centre is her `baby.' She is its founding executive director. "We came "This centre is to Oakville like an when my old extension of est son was two years old my family. I've and I was grown with pregnant the centre... with my sec it's part of my ond son," life." recollecting how her hus J ill Snidal, ; band' s transOakville Parenti fer to Toronto Child Centre ; 26 years ago led to her colaunching OPCC. Today her sons are 28 and 26. The youthful Snidal, who jokes about being the same age as the cen tre, enjoys cross-country skiing, working out at the gym, baking and folk art painting. "I love my dogs and I love my kids...my two sons are young adults.. .amazing." Born, raised and educated in Winnipeg - she studied psychology in college, and married Rick Snidal, now a chartered accountant and part ner at Price Waterhouse Coopers, in 1973. · She worked in the claims department of Great West Life, an insurance company, and developed a passion and understanding for fami lies who were struggling, fathers who had lost their jobs and widows who raised children on their own. "This made me realize how tough it is for families who are uprooted to a new location where they don't know anybody and don't have any support, and how hard it is for kids to make friends at their new school." Snidal was in that situation her self, and fortunately she met another new mom who shared her passion. "Anne Day was the first person I met after we moved to Oakville and we became good friends," said Snidal of the OPCC co-founder. Day left the centre 10 years later and currently runs Company of Women, but remains involved as a patron (of its capital campaign), along with Mayor Ann Mulvale and Dr. Santina Andrighetti, a local obstetrician. "When we started the Oakville Parent-Child Centre, we were a group of mothers who recognized a need," said Day. "I don't think any of us quite knew what we were getting into, but it' s been exciting to see the organiza tion grow." Snidal and Day shared the 1988 Howard C. Caine Community Service Award for their efforts. "We both felt we needed a place where new parents can meet other new parents and develop friendships, learn about parenting and have a safe place for their kids," said Snidal. The centre started at Knox Presbyterian Church in October 1980 and moved to the Oakville Salvation Army Citadel in early 1983. OPCC moved to the second floor of 341 Kerr St., in August 1986 and expanded to 337 Kerr St., in 1991. Its first program, Mothers Are Pepple Too, was an overnight success . - moms were encouraged to bring their children. The rest, it can be said, is history. Today, Mothers are People Too is one of about 45 programs offered by OPCC at four locations, its main site on Kerr Street and three satellites, 1500 Sixth Line near Upper Middle Road that opened in 1995 fol lowed by 1395 Abbeywood Dr., in 2003 and 2828 Kingsway Dr., which opened since last September. Programs include everything from parenting workshops to a nurs ery school, parent and tots, a gentlyused children's clothing store, a par ent help line and drop-ins for parents and children. OPCC has close to 40 full and part-time staff. "We see between 300 and 400 kids a day," said Snidal. It serves close to 2,000 families a year. About half of its $1.2 million budget comes from the Ontario Ministry of Community, Family andChildren's Services, with additional funding coming from the United Way RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER R IG H T A T H O M E : Jill Snidal co- founded the Oakville Parent-Child Centre, which is, like her, now 25 years young, of Oakville, Region of Halton, pro gram fees, donations and fundraising activities. It became an Ontaxio Early Years Centre four years ago. "I could never have imagined the centre growing into such an incredi ble organization." Visit any location and you'll hear the happy laughter of children at play while groups of moms chat quietly and develop friendships. "This centre is like an extension of my family," said Snidal. "I' ve grown with the centre...it' s part of my life," she continued, mus-, ing about taking additional courses. "I've tossed around studying speech therapy and social work, but I' ve learned so much from the profession als who come into the centre." She is used to the `white noise' created by a combination of comput ers humming in offices to kids interacting in the nursery. Whenever the children are taken out for a walk or an .outing, the centre becomes very quiet, said Snidal, admitting she misses the din. The beeping of a com puter blends into the background noise. "I work with a lot of families, offering them support when they're facing some difficulties is the most rewarding part of what I do. "Nothing takes priority over a par ent who needs to chat, a parent who may be new to the area and feels iso lated or is at home with little kids," she emphasized. "I've taken a real interest in the centre developing a strong focus on supporting families with special needs children. We've adapted our programs and trained our staff to make these parents and their chil dren feel welcome and comfortable in all of our programs. This has been a strong focus for the past five years." Snidal has seen many milestones over the years, and is especially proud of receiving the Children's Service Award in October 2004 "acknowledg ing the work the centre does with special needs children." To celebrate the anniversary, OPCC is holding a Renaissance Gala on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Burlington Convention Centre, 1120 Burloak Dr., Burlington. The $125 a plate gala will feature a ·%)yal feast,' a four-course dinner fol lowed by late evening dessert table, starting at 6 p.m. The event will also include musical entertainment, mar tini bar, prizes, and a silent and live auction with Mulvale as guest auc tioneer. Auction items include a Laparka See Funding page 4 F e b r u a r y 25, 26, M arch 4 S u n d a y 9:30 -4:I5pm . 2 u b J i i j , . W W W .y O U n g d n v e r S .c o m ISO 9 8 0 1 :2 0 0 0 R egistered ^ 0 | next C O U R SES March 13, 14, l 5, l 6 9:30am - 4:I5r»TM . /, .. 235 Lakeshore Road East at Dunn ( 9 0 5 ) 8 4 5 - 7 2 0 0