Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 15/05) - There are many Yellowknife youth who do not need a drop-in centre like the Side Door, but there are many who do, according to Kevin Laframboise.

Kevin Laframboise was the recent recipient of a meritorious service medal from the Governor General during a ceremony in Ottawa, May 30, for his work at the SideDoor Youth drop-in centre.

"People saw many youth on the streets with no where to go," Laframboise said of the reasons behind the opening of the centre almost 10 years ago.

"When youth have nowhere to go, they tend to get into trouble."

The former co-ordinator and chief fundraiser at the centre was awarded a meritorious service medal from Governor General Adrienne Clarkson May 30 in Ottawa for his dedication and commitment to the facility.

"It means that the work that I did, didn't go unnoticed. I worked very hard and a lot of the things I did were above and beyond what was expected of me," Laframboise said.

First opening its doors in 1995 in the basement of the Holy Trinity Anglican church, the Side Door is now located at 4903-50th St.

Ryan Peters, executive director of the Side Door, said they were proud of Laframboise's accomplishments.

"He certainly is one that would be very worthy of such an award. There is nothing that would deter him from his goal," Peters said.

Nominated for the medal three years ago, Laframboise said it came at a time when he was getting burnt out.

"I worked myself too hard at the youth centre. I expressed that to the national director of the church army and he wanted to encourage me.

"I wasn't seeing the good I was doing and he was troubled by that, so he wanted to find a venue where I could be appreciated, so he nominated me," Laframboise said.

Laframboise said the centre's draw has always been that it is not only physically a warm place to go, but that it is also emotionally warm, and where supervision is "youth friendly."

Laframboise worked at the centre from a few months after its opening until about three years ago, when he switched careers.

He now works teaching computer to students of Kalemi Dene school in Ndilo.

The work was difficult but not without its poignant moments, he said.

"The clientele that comes through the Side Door are not usually appreciative of anything.

"But they went out of their way to come to me and one youth said "if it wasn't for this place, I wouldn't be alive right now."

"I'm sure many of the other youth felt similarly, but didn't know how to say it."

On average, he said the centre would see between 30 and 100 youth per day.

Laframboise said he felt honoured and humbled to receive the medal.

"But I feel that not only did I receive the medal, but I believe Yellowknife should take some credit for it."