'It saved our lives in one sense': How BGC Dawson helps Verdun families

During the month of December, CBC will be working with BGC Dawson to showcase stories of people in our community who are making a difference for our "Make the Season Kind" campaign. For more stories and to learn more about this campaign, visit cbc.ca/bekindqc and make a donation here.

Marinna Mendolia basically grew up at BGC Dawson.

From the time she was a baby, she was in the Verdun community centre's Parents and Tots program. She kept using their child and youth programs until she was 22.

Now, her 10-year-old son Jaylen spends his time after school there playing basketball and video games with his friends and the centre's animators. Mendolia says Dawson made a big difference in her life as a kid and now as a single mom — especially its daycare program.

"Even when I go there now I see the people who were animating me when I was younger, it's nice to see them still there," she said. "I feel more comfortable because I know them and I've been with them."

As an "overweight kid," Dawson offered Mendolia a safe space where she felt comfortable and wasn't judged. She especially liked the way counsellors would mediate conflict, and Jaylen said they do the same for him.

One such counsellor is Sherwin Cumberbatch, who has been working at Dawson for 20 years. He first came to coach basketball, and he says it soon became a second home. He's passionate about helping kids thrive, and feels immense pride seeing them grow up to do great things.

"It's not only basketball, not only the computer lab, not only art — it's more than that. It's communication," said Sherwin.

"Sometimes I leave and sit in my car and think, 'Wow, we've impacted these kids' lives so much.' And I'm so grateful to be part of it."

BGC Dawson has been active in Montreal's southwestern Verdun borough since the 1960s and was originally a way to keep kids active and out of trouble. In the late '70s, they expanded their offering and today they have everything from children's programs to a food bank, music lessons, and seniors' programs to stave off loneliness.

To single mother Louise Gingerysty, Dawson has been indispensable. Her nine-year-old daughter loves to spend her time after school there, and goes to their summer and spring break camps. In the last year, Gingerysty says Dawson added even more programs and activities like affordable frozen meals and tutoring on Saturday mornings.

"It's just gifts on top of gifts. You're falling over, like 'More? OK, yes please.'" she said.

"I recommend them to everybody. They're such an old soul in the neighborhood and they're connected to the community."

Gingerysty also uses Dawson's food bank to help out a family friend who has a hard time speaking French and English, and whose social assistance barely covers necessary expenses.

Gingerysty will show up to her house with six or seven grocery bags once a month. "They do so much for so many and on so many levels," she said.

When he was 16 years old, Joe Quinn was one of the first young men to ever step foot into the community centre, when it opened in 1960.

"It saved our lives in one sense, instead of getting in trouble with the police or something else," said Quinn. "At least with the building and the counsellors, we had structure and access to the building for our activities like dances and games."

Today, you can still find him there having a chat and smiling with his friends.