Ottawa students launch #letsunlockchange fundraiser for John Howard Society
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Alex Scantlebury was the high school quarterback and had high hopes of landing a scholarship, but in the summer of 2004, he tore up his right ankle and with it any chance of a sports career.
It hit him hard and he lost himself in drugs. He financed his habit by working in Ottawa’s drug trade right up until the day in September 2011 that police arrested him in a big raid dubbed Project Finale.
At 24, he was facing drug charges as a reputed enforcer for an Ottawa gang, a world away from the football field at Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
But the judge gave him a break and allowed him to serve his sentence on weekends, and Scantlebury seized what he calls his second chance. As he sat in jail, he kept thinking that he wanted to be a better man for his young daughter.
“I’m thankful for the chance (Judge Ann Alder) gave me and I’m not going to waste my second opportunity at life,” said Scantlebury, now 28.
He now has three daughters, has served his sentence and community service, and is enrolled in the public relations program at Algonquin College.
It’s not just any PR program. Every year since 1990, the class chooses a charity and raises money for it through a series of popular events. This year, and after hearing Scantlebury’s pitch, the class chose the John Howard Society of Ottawa as the beneficiary.
“If it wasn’t for the John Howard Society, I’d probably be dead or still in jail,” said Scantlebury.
He said it’s an ideal campaign for the class. The prisoner advocate group is respected, but it doesn’t exactly attract corporate sponsorship like some more trendy charities.
In fact, this year’s fundraising campaign, called #letsunlockchange (www.letsunlockchange.com), wasn’t able to secure a corporate sponsor until days before its launch this week.
Sometimes, it pays to know a good lawyer, for in this case, it was the managing partner of Abergel Goldstein who at the 11th hour cut the campaign a cheque as a corporate sponsor.
“The John Howard Society is a worthy cause that makes society safer by providing support to men who cannot find support anywhere else,” said Oliver Abergel.
“As title sponsor of the #letsunlockchange campaign, it is not lost on us that organizations like the John Howard Society actually help reduce crime and reduce the need for defence lawyers. We are defence attorneys but members of this community first, and we are happy to do our part to make the community a safer place.”
For a full list of events across the next three weeks — ranging from a comedy night, silent auction, and bubble soccer — go to www.letsunlockchange.com.
Since 1990, Algonquin College’s PR program has raised more than $300,000 for charity.
