C2 - The Oakville Beaver, W e d n e s d a y F e b ru a ry 12, 2003 IA Y M A JI L IG H T Oakville's Lighting Showroom Distress Centre Oakville executive director retires after 25 years By W ilm a Blokhuis BEA VliH FO C U S EDITO R For 25 years, Sandy Beveridge has been the pub lic face of Distress Centre Oakville. Because of the nature and confidentiality of the callers to the local crisis line, anonymity was key. The agency's location is one of Oakville's best kept secrets all that can be revealed is that its offices are small, in a secure setting and provided rent free. Most of its volunteers will always remain anonymous because they answer calls about A ID S, suicide, trauma, loneliness and sadness. They are the listening ears to the community's troubled souls, answering more than l(),(XX) calls a year. Only one other name has ever become synonymous with Distress Centre Oakville - Stella Perkins. Distress Centre Oakville was started during the 1970s by Perkins, who became its first executive director. Oakville's population was about 68.0(H), and the agency, then known as the Oakville Crisis Centre, was taking about 500 calls a year When approached in 1977 to be the agency's executive director, she said `I'll try.' "Not only did shy try. but she has done a marvelous job," said a long lime volun teer speaking on behalf of Perkins, who was unable to attend Beveridge's surprise retirement party held in January at Otello's Banquet Hall. Beveridge retired at the end of December. " She has lifted our centre from being a small grass roots outfit with a volunteer executive director to a com munity agency, accepted and admired by many. "Not only did she prove to be good at figures, but she was good with volunteers, well liked, and a friend to all. " In the past 25 years, Sandy has proved her leader ship and her loyalty. She will certainly be missed." Today. Distress Centre Oakville has two phone lines, and 80 volunteers answering the phones from noon to mid night daily. 365 days a year including holidays. "When I started (as execu tive director) 25 years ago, things were a whole lot dif ferent at the agency," said Beveridge. "W e built it up." (See Agency' page C3 i I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I .A 2 f?ith ANNIVERSARY Loyal Customer Appreciation 2 5 - 30 % °" Selected Items Special Basement Bonanza Showroom : 338 Lakeshore Rd. E. in Oakville just east of Trafalgar Sandy Beveridge accepts the Shirley Lavis A w ard from Troy Brooks, president of Distress C entres O n ta rio , at h e r re tire m e n t p a rty at O tello's B anquet Hall. on one phone line, and had six volunteers. Agency vol unteers answered the phone on Friday and Saturday nights. It began operations as Distress Centre Oakville dur ing the mid-1990s. After four years under her volunteer directorship. Perkins began looking for her replacement - she wanted to continue as a volunteer - and looked for someone who was "good with figures and budg ets." Someone suggested that Beveridge, who was also a volunteer at the time, would be the ijieal candidate. Together, Perkins and Beveridge spoke in schools and to community groups about the agency. H O T K E Ym I NrA [ \A D A ! Saturday, February 1 5th U j*. ^ (905) 842-4170 ii i 0 m m LEAF JERSEY [Name ·1 .« . . . A ........... R e tu rn th e b a llo t and le t us k n o w h o w m a n y p u cks a re hidden in th e a d s b elo w fo r y o u r c h a n c e to w in a T o ro n to M a p le L e a f J e rs e y and 2 Tickets to th e Ice B e a rs iSlW HL H o ckey G a m e S a tu rd a y , F e b ru a ry 2 2 . j A d d re ss I j Telephone I I Send or drop off your e I Oakville* ON. 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