Ban Righ Director Barb Schlafer passes the torch
Posted Jan 19, 2012 By Kristen CoughlarEMC Lifestyle - "I feel so grateful to have had this as the work that I did all my life."
After more than 35 years of service, Barb Schlafer is saying farewell to the Ban Righ Centre, a meeting place and drop-in resource centre for women of all ages, particularly those returning to their education after a period of absence.
Schlafer came to the Centre in 1975, after recently moving to the city.
"I didn't really know anybody here," she said.
With her young child, Aarron, in tow, she set out that spring to find a women's centre located on Queen Street.
"The young women who were there took a look at me and my child I guess and said, 'oh, I think we might be too radical for you. You might be interested in the Ban Righ Centre.'"
She took their advice one Sunday a few months later.
"Helen Mathers, who was the first director, was just leaving and she invited me in. We sat and chatted for about three hours I think, and I had my first of hundreds of cups of tea at the Ban Righ Centre."
From then on, Schlafer came back to the Centre to meet with a group of women who also had young children.
The centre was also where she made her first friend in Kingston, Saley Lawton, who was working as a secretary of sorts for the Ban Righ Centre and Queen's Counselling Services.
Schlafer continued to attend and volunteer her time at the Centre, and eventually earned a paid position in which she worked 10 hours a week. Schlafer's time at the centre gradually increased to the point where Centre employees began to cut back their time in order to make room for her in the budget.
"(I feel) incredibly grateful to Helen Mathers and Janet Throughton making room for me," Schlafer said.
It was in 1999 that Schlafer stepped into the role as director, when then director, Mary Davis Little, stepped down from the position.
She has served in that role for 12 years.
She said she feels extremely lucky to have worked at the Ban Righ Centre.
"So many people can't work at things they believe in, but at the centre I think all of us that work there really believe in the students and the support that they deserve."
Schlafer passes the director's torch to Carole Morrison, the former Special Projects Officer in the Faculty of Education at Queen's University.
"She's going to be absolutely perfect. The timing is right, and she's the right person at this time," Schlafer said. "I hope that it will be just as fulfilling for her as it has been for me. I don't see how it can't be, it's a wonderful place to work."
Schlafer said she plans to spend her retirement catching up on some household projects and spending time with friends and family. She has a mother in North Carolina and two beautiful grandchildren here in the city she hopes to spend time with.
She will do doubt also be popping by the Ban Righ Centre from time to time.
"So far we've been on the phone every day for one reason or another...Of course, I'll be keeping in touch with the centre."
kcoughlar@perfprint.ca
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