07 Oct Kevin Ogilvie no longer homeless after help from flute player
Louise made an appearance on the CBC News on Oct 6 to talk about helping Kevin Ogilvie transition from homelessness into employment.
View the segment on CBC News (starts at 6:28)
A Halifax man who was homeless just months ago has entered a new stage of his life thanks in part to a flute player from Symphony Nova Scotia.
He says making the necessary changes in his life was one of the hardest things he’s ever done.
“Very difficult. It takes a lot of motivation, a lot of courage, a lot of strength,” he said. “I’m just grateful to be where I’m at now, so I can finally support my daughter.”
The new life did not come without help from others in the community.
The first was Patricia Creighton. The principal flautist with Symphony Nova Scotia started an IndieGogo campaign that raised money to find Ogilvie a place to live. A total of $5,000 was raised to help settle him in an apartment.
“I think it’s fantastic. When I think of the coming winter and where Kevin was at last year, I’m really happy for him,” Creighton said.
Next, Ogilvie needed to work. Louise O’Haran is owner of Kitchen Design Plus and helped connect him to his present employer.
“He didn’t have any issues that would prevent him from working. I didn’t see any… he just seemed like a really nice guy who wanted to work,” she said.
O’Haran teamed him up with one of her best kitchen designers and Ogilvie learned the trade. A full-time position wasn’t available at Kitchen Design Plus, so she sent Ogilvie to a friend in the industry who was looking for workers.
O’Haran said there was no question of wanting to help.
“When I met him I found that he was a really intelligent and sensitive young man,” she said. “And I knew his circumstances were really out of his control.”
Ogilvie is helping to make cabinets and wants to concentrate on work for now. He hopes that when people see homelessness that they don’t judge without knowing more about each person’s life.
His main message for those who helped him — thank you.
“I just want them to know that everything they did for me is not going to go to waste,” he said. “I’m going to continue to do my best.”
By CBC News
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