|
John Rodgers
John Rodgers
served as the Executive Director of the Main Street Project from 1975
through 1998, part of a 25 year career with our organization.
Born in Detroit, John's family moved to Winnipeg when he
was only 14 months old. John is said to have been a late bloomer who
held a string of unrelated jobs until he found his one true calling.
John began as a cartoonist, made an unsuccessful foray into the
florist business, worked for the railway, and finally for a Logan Avenue
food processor.
In 1972, he
started what appeared to be a temporary job a the fledgling Main
Street Project. Within three years he was running the facility, a
role he would maintain until he passed away in 1998. John's efforts
in this organization and in the community at large impacted
innumerable lives.
John also chaired
the social development committee of the North Main Street Task Force,
formed to address issues with the hotels of the day and aimed at 'cleaning
up the strip'.
John has been
called 'Winnipeg's
Mother Theresa', a man who clearly found his calling representing and
supporting this city's most disadvantaged.
Clay Lewis
Clay Lewis was a cofounder of the Main Street
Project, later assuming the roles of Assistant, and then Executive
Director. Clay retired from involvement in direct operations in 1999,
but remains an active influence on the Main Street Project's Board of
Directors.
Clay was born in Memphis, Tennessee.
During his college years, he worked summers for CPR Railway in Winnipeg. In
1951, Clay left the railway to enlist in the military for a short,
but decorated career which included service in the Korean War. After
these efforts, he returned to Winnipeg,
and to his career with CPR.
In the early
1960's Clay joined what is now Health Sciences Centre as the Head of
Food Services. He proceeded to work as the first social worker
employed by Meals on Wheels, and then with Riverview for a number of
years, until the Main Street Project was born in 1972.
Clay became one
of the major faces of the Project, known within, and beyond the Main Street
community for his tireless efforts to support Winnipeg's inner city citizens.
Outside of his ongoing dedication to the Main Street Project, Clay
has founded, and served many Winnipeg
organizations, including:
- Community Income Tax
Services, providing low income people with free or low cost tax
preparation.
- Jack's Hotel, opened in 1977 in an effort
to provide community seniors with food, shelter, and
independence. The hotel has since closed, and reopened as
Neeginan.
- Pathways provided two safe
homes for core area street youth in Winnipeg, from 1977 to 1995.
- In 1979, Clay was
instrumental in the purchase of two halfway houses for
recovering addicts. One was called Addictions Recovery Inc.
and is still operational today.
- Clay was an
instrumental participant on the Non-Potable Alcohol and
Inhalant Abuse Committee, a group focused on educating and legislating
around the misuse of these potentially harmful substances.
top of page
|
