An enthusiastic group of Eastern Star members gathered yesterday afternoon at the Masonic Heritage Hall on Spruce Avenue, to present Larry’s Place with a cheque for $1,034.40
Past Worthy Matron Lynn Thomas, and Past Worthy Patron William Baker, presented the cheque to Larry’s Place team lead, Dan Marchisella.
A beaming Marchisella received the gift for Larry’s Place saying, “That sponsors two beds, right there. The cost of two new beds for us.”
Before the presentation, ElliotLakeToday asked Thomas to describe how Larry’s Place was chosen, a decision Baker also supported.
Thomas said, “I decided on Larry’s Place because people are very aware there’s women’s shelters out there and women with families, and other women who need help. People forget that there are men- and young men, out there that need help as well, mainly because men are told to ‘Suck it up. Be strong.’ And a lot of times, they can’t.”
As Marchisella told ElliotLakeToday in correspondence before the award ceremony, “The causes of homelessness include: renovictions, low income: disability pension, seniors pensions, mental and physical disabilities, addictions, recovering from addiction, no identification, lack of affordable housing, separation or divorce, loss of job/income.”
“Any of which could happen to any of us at any time,” Marchisella wrote.
Thomas: “That’s why I chose Larry’s Place. I’ve seen it over the years, working in the law profession where fathers can’t get access to the kids or they have problems seeing their children or they have problems and nobody seems to say, ‘This is an issue.’ And it is. It’s a big issue.”
“We just need it to be fair,” Thomas said. “All they need is a hand up and someone to tell them that they matter and that their issues matter. And that gives them confidence, and it helps them because there are men out there with families, single dads, and they need help.”
Marchisella told ElliotLakeToday that the name, Larry’s Place, is changing to Larry’s Place FRESH START Shelter for Men.
“The FRESH START concept is to get them back on their feet, give them a new start to life, rather than continuing with the cycle of ‘in a shelter for the night/homeless during the day.’ We’re breaking that cycle by providing programming with our staffing, the support that we have in the community to get these gentlemen back on their feet and in the workforce again, contributing to the tax base and society and back in homes.”
“If you can break the cycle, you’re actually saving communities money, and you’re saving people’s lives,” Marchisella said.
As the cheque was handed over, a smiling Thomas issued a challenge. “Okay, so this is a challenge to another organization. Any other organization in Elliot Lake, to ‘Match or Beat.’”
Marchisella added, “And you’re helping to break the cycle of homelessness in not just Elliot Lake, the Algoma District. Yes, we service the whole Algoma District.”
“Match or Beat.” Eastern Star’s challenge is on.