'Humanitarian' gifts free facelift to Regina's North Central Family Centre

Tuesday's unsettled sky promised rain, but that didn't deter a construction crew from restoring the community hub on Fifth Avenue in Regina.

Construction workers from Regina Soffit & Eaves set up shop outside the North Central Family Centre. They hustled between the wall andthe workbench, which was standing between the basketball nets, to installrow upon row of newsiding panels.

Company owner Kurt Douglas looked on as they worked for free.

Douglas met Sandy Wankel, the executive director and co-founderof the North Central Family Centre, a few months ago. He dropped into the centre tofind out what it was about.

The pairstarted talking about past renovations, then theystepped outside to look atthe building. Douglas realized itwas time for a facelift.

Kurt just happened. It was just a gift from God that he came intomy office.- Sandy Wankel, executive director, North Central Family Centre

"It was old. It was original stuff on there, so it was starting to wear and tear," he said. "I decided you know what it's obvious that her and her team could use some work."

He talked to his distributors, staff and managers, who made themselves available without hesitation, he said.

Wankel didn't hear from Douglas for daysafter their first encounter, until one of his staff popped by her office last week to propose the offer of new siding free of charge.

"Kurt just happened. It was just a gift from God that he came intomy office," Wankel said."He saw the need there, and just like a wonderful humanitarian just came to our need."

The North Central Family Centre is a non-profit, and Wankel doesn't think these renovations would have been possible on their own dime.

It not only beautifies the community, but it gives the kids a real sense of pride.- Sandy Wankel,executivedirector,NorthCentral Family Centre

Funding within the non-profit agency is allocated for projects and programs,"so there's not a lot of extra money for maintenance and a lot of the extra things you really do need to do to keep the agency running," said Wankel.

She said the benefits go beyond financial and aesthetic aid, because the centre is like a home for the youth in the area.

"It not only beautifies the community, but it gives the kids a real sense of pride."

Wankel said this collaboration has started relationships, which make all the difference in the kids' lives. She described how some of the construction workers have been hanging out with the centre's young participants and are eager to mentor them in some way.

Douglas said it feels good on a personal level to support the centre, but added he didn't do it to make himselffeel better.

"It's nice to give back and she's [Wankel's] doing the exact same thing just in different ways," Douglas said.

He added Regina Soffit & Eaves began as a small company that received a lot of community support to help itgrow, so now he wants to support others.