Fort Smith teen wins national friendship centre award

A Fort Smith 15-year-old has received a national award for his work with the town’s friendship centre.

Damon McAllister only joined the board of Uncle Gabe’s Friendship Centre this year as its youth representative, but Ramanda Sanderson – the board’s president – said McAllister had been attending the centre for the past six to eight years.

McAllister described being inspired to work with the friendship centre by his mother, who told him to “always be kind, be respectful and be caring.”

Now, he has won the Nelson Mayer Award, which the National Association of Friendship Centres says is “gifted to an extraordinary youth whose friendship centre nominated them to be recognized in their community for outstanding work.”

The award is named for Nelson Mayer, who previously led the national association and has spent decades working in the friendship centre movement in Alberta and Manitoba.

Uncle Gabe’s offers various programs for youth, ranging from drop-in sessions to pow-wow dancing classes.

“Seeing the youth smile and whatnot motivates me, because I really love to see people smile when I’m helping,” said McAllister.

“Most youth can now talk about their feelings,” he said, “and the youth aren’t getting bullied as much.”

He said his uncle had also pushed him to be where he is today by being very kind to him and others, which made him feel he should “bring that same kindness to other people.”

“Winning the award is a great honour, because Nelson Mayer was a very big part of our community,” McAllister said.

He was also nominated for the position of vice-president of the national association’s Indigenous youth council.

Sanderson said McAllister brings a unique skillset that other board members don’t have.

She said he has a close relationship with the youth who visit the friendship centre and is able to communicate with them effectively to bring the change they want to see in the community.

She said the board is lucky to have McAllister, and described becoming emotional while watching him receive his award.

“He’s only a few months into his position, and he’s already winning such prestigious awards within the friendship centres on a national level, being recognized for how outstanding this young man is,” Sanderson said, “and we’ve seen it from the beginning.”