LITTLE CURRENT—Dave Sylvester may be relatively new to the community but he and wife Leona have fast made a name for themselves as volunteers in the Little Current area.
He explained that he began volunteering as a young man when he was invited to join the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Kirkland Lake—the community where he was born and raised and, until eight years ago, lived. Later, as a member of the Associated Canadian Travellers (a community-minded, “fraternity”-like group of salesmen, Mr. Sylvester explains), Mr. Sylvester held the position of secretary and treasurer and helped put on the Kirkland Lake Winter Carnival, among other events, which grew to be one of the biggest in the North, lasting 10 days each year.
Mr. Sylvester was always involved with the Kirkland Lake parish too, holding the title of chair of the parish council.
“I joined the Knights of Columbus in the mid-70s,” he adds, noting that the group is made up of men who are there to support the efforts of the church.
Mr. Sylvester was also instrumental in his fundraising efforts to see the creation of Hockey Heritage North, a $10 million facility dedicated to showcasing Northeastern Ontario’s proud legacy of seeing young players through to the NHL.
“It was originally thought that it would be a tourist attraction, but the town ended up taking it over,” he explains. It now doubles as a major convention centre.
The Sylvesters are the proud parents of Charlene Jordison and her husband Dale and it was at her encouragement that the couple moved to Manitoulin to be closer to their only child and their two grandchildren.
He jokes that it was Leona that volunteered him with the Manitoulin Health Centre Auxiliary, but he enjoyed the positions, serving as vice president for two years and another two as president, and now holding the title of liaison to the board of directors.
Many people might have seen Mr. Sylvester’s smiling face outside of Orr’s Valu-mart in Little Current, happily selling raffle tickets for the past two summers for the Auxiliary.
Always a member of the Catholic Church, Mr. Sylvester has also volunteered his services with the St. Bernard’s Church, often working “behind the scenes.”
“It was an example my parents set,” he said of his role as volunteer. “I’m blessed and I thought I should share some of the gifts and talents I’ve been given.”
“I think it’s rewarding,” Mr. Sylvester says of why he volunteers. “It’s an opportunity to meet new friends, take on new challenges and gives a sense of contribution. It’s amazing the number of people we have come to know just being out and about in the community.”
