Marriage, to a person or a job, has challenges

Natalie Bercovici

June 2012

Marriage is alive and well in Montreal. Good weather arrived early in May and to our delight, many brides and grooms were at the Old Port with their entourage of family and friends.

This is a lovely sight to behold, and couples should not be afraid of marriage if they have confidence in their spouses. However, the words in the song, “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage” came to mind from a recent incident in the Old Port when a horse was spooked and bolted with the carriage, causing injury to a passenger.

A separation or divorce might occur when a spouse explores “greener pastures” or there are unresolved issues. Those who live together might also split up, sometimes leaving children in an uncomfortable position. Insecure and destabilized, the children may go back and forth from mother to father. Issues build and these children begin to act out at home and school. If they feel some cohesion, hopefully, they will overcome their fears.

HAPPY 50th ANNIVERSARY to Adrian and Natalie! Photo courtesy of Generations Foundation

If not, they may need support from family, school officials and social workers.

Generations Foundation works with these professionals in several areas. We address food insecurity daily for about 6,500 schoolchildren. Teamwork and other social skills are learned at summer camp, where we send hundreds of children to enjoy the summer and build skills for the future.

From the early years to graduation and beyond, Generations finds ways to help out.

Call 514-933-8585 to help a child succeed.

Nicolas Carpentier

June 2012

If there is such a thing as being married to your job, Sun Youth’s Tommy Kulczyk is the perfect example. Kulczyk, assistant to the executive vice-president and director of emergency Services, celebrated 30 years of community service on May 1.

Kulczyk was introduced to Sun Youth when he began playing hockey for the organization in 1978. A few years later, while he was studying administration at university, Sid Stevens invited him to come work with him for the summer months.

Tommy Kulczyk celebrates 30 years with Sun Youth. Photo: Nicolas Carpentier

“I thought it would only be a summer job but, 30 years later, I’m still here,” Kulczyk says. Because of his exceptional creativity, organizational and communication skills, he became a well-known and respected figure at Sun Youth.

He says Sun Youth is still around because of the organization’s capacity to evolve and to adapt. “We’re not smarter than anybody else. We listen, we learn and we put programs in place to address specific issues that are not taken care of.”

He and his wife of 30 years have two daughters, Vanessa and Éliane.

How does he juggle job and family? “You have to be with a great partner, someone who’s understanding and who believes in what you’re doing,” he says. “I never missed a meeting with the teachers, never missed a medical appointment with my children or one of their gymnastics competitions.

“I’m lucky to have two families: I have my first family at home and a second family at Sun Youth.”