Hello Cannucks....

  Well with the Grey Cup over, and BC Lions the victor, we know we're
that step closer to Winter, Christmas and New Years, and memorys....

  I noted the date today, as it was 30 years ago, I was approached
to come to the OCCC  
in Toronto, behind the CNIB, to check and see what had become of
a project designed to break teens out of their shells, they withdrew
into after having some pretty horrible accidents, and in some cases
they lost their parents, and were placed there at OCCC as wards of
the government.

  In 1962,    Metro GRS Club of Toronto, and a well known CB radio
dealership "Muskoka Communications" together donated a full station
to the teen room of OCCC to assist getting the teens back into the
flow.   Big write up in all the newspapers, and DOC even issued
them a licence   XM41 4222  which was later changed to XM42 4222.
Lots of teens, came out of their shells, enough to be helped and
treated, and went on to have full lives, despite having in some
cases disablities.

   In the 1970s, the OCCC station fell silent. Went off the air,
and along came the Leaside Radio Club, and they went in to reactivate
the station, and update the equipment.    Once again  Muskoka Communications
came to the rescue, as well AC Simmons in Pickering and the station was
back on the air, as well the director called the club for someone to
come in and if possible assist with the radio, and the teens and getting
them on the air, and staying out of trouble.   Apparently before, they
got on-the-air with no instructions and made too many enemeys and
well it did not go down well with the administrators of the OCCC.

The club called me, as I was the closest member to the OCCC, and I
was interested in volunteering.   XM42 4222 was on the air, doing
what it was intended to do, from that time until I moved away from
Toronto in 1980.   The greatest feeling is still time to time 
meeting teens from the OCCC program that now have their Amateur
Radio Licences.

Due to the wards of the government, unfortunately I can not go into
whom or what or ID anyone, but it was all great memorys, and i still
enjoy from time to time meeting those from the centre.

Lately, I checked, and I was wondering if anyone close to the OCCC
knows if they still are there?  Is the Antenna still up?   I have
always wanted sometime to go in there while visiting friends in
Toronto.

Hope you like what you have read.    While volunteers never get
the recognition, they never carem because by volunteering for 
worthwhile things that is all the reward...a great feeling to
have helped someone.

Have a great day where ever you are

Peter



... Ontario Crippled Children's Centre: Teen Room Radio stn XM42 4222
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