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Friday, June 15, 2012
Making a Vital contribution Unheralded heroes: gaining skills and more independence while helping Cowichan programs Krista Siefken
News Leader Pictorial
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he woods are quiet and peaceful, but there are signs of disregard, and disrespect. A coffee pot hangs from a tree. A computer monitor sits abandoned, riddled with bullet holes. Drywall has been tossed around like confetti and children’s toys lay scattered, never to be played with again. Until, through the trees, come a band of unheralded heroes. They pull up in a large, green work truck, equipped with plenty of heavy-duty gloves, boots and shovels. Four men, ready to work. “These guys are able to do a lot more than go to music and gym,” says Neil McDonald. But when he started the Vital Wood program close to 20 years ago, those were the only options available to the developmentally disabled men McDonald works with. “We started taking the guys out and cutting wood, instead. Everybody’s got a spot, something they can do,” McDonald says. “They Krista Siefken generate money for themselves. They’re earning a wage. They’ve From left: Steve McLaughlin, Al Hahner and Danny Joseph examine the site where they collected garbage recently, while John Anderson waits by the truck, ready formed their own co-op.” to start loading trash. And that co-op is responsible for pouring tens of thousands of dollars into community programs. Everything from lunch programs at “We couldn’t function without those guys.” guys could collect and then properly dispose of the trash, too. Cowichan elementary schools and local sports programs to assisting They work to ¿nd spots that are easier to access, and relatively But typically they focus on ¿rewood, everywhere from Caycuse to individual families on ¿xed incomes. easy to navigate. Nanaimo to the top of the Malahat. “The guys decide what they want to do,” says McDonald. That makes things easier for program members like Anderson. “These guys have covered some ground,” McDonald said. Those guys include John Anderson, Danny Joseph, Al Hahner and He’s 69 years old, autistic and blind — but don’t ever tell him he They’ve also helped a ton of local programs. Steve McLaughlin. can’t work. They helped rebuild a local man’s scooter. They give money and “I’ll present them with this, or that, and they’ll pick what they “He comes out and works with us every day, ¿ve days a week,” ¿rewood to families, particularly ones with special-needs children. want to do. They’ve even dosays McDonald. “And it’s very important to John that he get out “We sent students to Bam¿eld Marine Station, and actually, they nated food and hand-delivered to to work. It’s his right, as far as he’s concerned — and don’t try to set it up so Al and Steve fundraised with them, and then attended the schools. It’s a big thing for these stomp on his rights.” it with them, so they went to Bam¿eld with the Grade 6 graduat“It’s very imguys.” Friendships are similarly important among Vital’s workers. ing class,” McDonald says. “So the parents and the students got to portant to John McDonald, a former commercial Hahner and McLaughlin, for example, help Anderson through his meet these guys, work with them and then go, and it really changed ¿rewood cutter, works closely with various tasks. people’s outlook. And that’s just a bit of what they do. They do a that he get out Island Timberlands and TimberWest “I’m cutting wood and running the saw, so Steve and Al help John ton.” to select suitable wood-chopping to work. It’s his get out, get his gloves on, earmuffs, anything else, and set him up at Khowhemun Elementary School principal Rhonda MacDowell sites. the back of the pile so he can load ¿ rewood,” says McDonald. agreed. right, as far as “The two people who are key for “We all split wood and when there’s a big pile John’ll come out The Vital guys have been helping fund the school’s lunch program he’s concerned.” us are Brian Guzda from Safety Net and load it all up,” Hahner con¿rms. for years, and have even come into the school to drop food off. Security — he works with Island “People are always amazed that John comes out,” McDonald “They’re fabulous,” MacDowell says. “They do an amazing job Timberlands — and Eric Jecklin from adds, “but he works just as hard as the rest of the guys.” and they’re lovely — they all come in together and it’s very special TimberWest,” says McDonald. That work recently entailed cleaning up all kinds of junk abanand very warming for the kids to see how they’ve gone out of their “Island Timberlands has given us doned in the woods. way to support them.” access to this particular lot since April 22 of last year and we’re still “This is the ¿rst time we’ve done a clean-up like this,” says It’s all in a day’s work for the Vital men. in here every day cutting wood, and we’ve sold more than $9,000 McDonald. “I really enjoy it,” says Joseph. “And I really enjoy being out with worth of permits at this speci¿c spot for them. The Cowichan Valley Regional District waived tipping fees so the these guys.”
McDonald
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