We (Denise, Doug, and children Kristin and Michael) moved to the Beausejour area from Winnipeg in 1975. Kristin and Michael graduated from school, are married with families, and residing in BC and Alberta respectively.
I worked for Safeway in Winnipeg from 1970 to 1982, attended the University of Winnipeg from 1983 through 1986 and attained a 4 year Bachelor of Arts degree with double majors in Sociology/Justice and Law Enforcement.
I started my “Probations” career in July 1984 as an Honorary Probation Office (HPO) while attending university and later while on contract to the Attorney General’s Department. Here, I spent a year touring the Province for the Roadside Breathalyzer Survey and subsequently the Northern Justice Survey. The next thirteen years were spent travelling to First Nations communities within the Eastman Region to provide Probation serives. Early on, it became apparent, especially in the remote communities, there was an issue with the lack of resources for perpetrators and victims of domestic violence. This sparked an interest in developing local resources, “group work” and eventually Provincial training of others (Probation/Correction/Police Officers/CFS Workers) to spread awareness and the skills to deal with their DV clients. Next was a year-long secondment to Headingley Correctional Centre to train/mentor the officers in the DVU (Domestic Violence Unit) and, in 2001, I returned to teh Beausejour office. In January 2992m I became the Area Director of the Eastman Region.
My interest in volunteer activities led to participation in a variety of community organizations: I have been on the Board of Directors with CPTC (Canadian Power Tobogga Championships) since 1988. In 2002 I became a member on the Board of Directors for NERIC (North Eastman Regional Intersectoral Committee) and was elected co-chair for 2006-2007. I attended my first Network 4 Change meeting and was elected to the Board of Directors October 15, 2007 and in January 2008 joined the Board of Directors for the Service to Seniors Committee.
Retirement is on the horizon (but distant)…I’m still having too much fun doing what I’m doing!