The 2020-21 Attorney General's Victim Services Awards of Distinction includes a Mattawa woman, Patti Lessard.
The award "recognizes the exceptional achievements of dedicated professionals, organizations and volunteers working to raise awareness of victims' issues in Ontario and provide support when victims need it most," according to a news release.
The release states, "Patti Lessard has dedicated 30 years to tirelessly and passionately advocating for change in the social landscape for women and children. She began her career as a front-line shelter worker with the Mattawa Women's Resource Centre, where she brought empathy, understanding, and respect to the women who came to the centre for support and refuge."
"I'm totally shocked," Lessard told BayToday on winning the award. "It is a big surprise, but a pleasant one of course."
She didn't even know she had been nominated.
"It's always nice to be recognized for the commitment and work but it's not something I ever expected."
Lessard says her drive comes from the belief she has for her work at the womens' shelter.
"Ultimately it's the passion that things should be different," she said after a few seconds of thought. "Women and children should be able to live their lives free of violence. The more women you work with the more stories you hear, the more journeys you go through with them, that just feeds it too, making their lives better>
She's optimistic.
"It will get better, it has. We've come a long way but there's a distance to go and I'd have to say that's my passion to work and make that happen."
"We are so grateful that Patti’s lifelong work for women and children has been acknowledged," Elisa Char Guilbeault of the Mattawa Women’s Resource Centre told BayToday.
The nomination form states, "Patti has dedicated the past thirty years of her life, as a tireless and passionate advocate, changing the social landscape for women and children. Beginning her career at the Mattawa Women's Resource Centre as a Front Line Shelter Worker, Patti brought a deep connection of empathy, understanding and respect to the women who came seeking support, and also, to her coworkers, who benefitted from her quiet strength and example.
In addition to her commitment to advocate for the successful right of women and children to live without violence and oppression, she also became a valued volunteer with Victim Services Nipissing District. Victim Services Volunteer Crisis Responders work as part of a crisis team providing immediate and onsite direct service to individuals with the intent to help lessen the impact of victimization.
As a volunteer, for 12 years, Patti offered supportive listening, helping people to prioritize needs, providing accompaniment to an emergency shelter/hospital, and helping them to secure safety. She assisted police and emergency personnel by ensuring that the person’s emotional and practical needs were met, offering a safe and shielded presence, making a comforting difference to so many people victimized by violence.
Patti assisted victims of crime, as she does with others, with dignity, respect, compassion and empathy, providing comfort, solace and reassurance.
In 1990, Patti became the Outreach Worker for the MWRC. With legal/court services 62 km away, she drove in all types of inclement weather, in her pursuit of breaking the cycle of abuse, she was deserving of the name, Road Warrior. In her tireless dedication in supporting women, she accompanied and advocated for hundreds of women in their legal and emotional odysseys, putting in much of her personal time, assisting women in gaining traction for their voices.
She has become a trusted keeper of women’s stories.
In 2000, Patti became the Assistant Director of the Mattawa Women’s Resource Centre, while, by her preference, retaining her Outreach commitments. She is truly gifted as an empathetic, nurturing, and resourceful woman who is able to quickly assess and competently respond to a myriad of situations; abuse, addictions, mental health, and emergency crisis response. Her non-judgemental demeanour is open and accepting, respecting the space that the women are in, with their life journey.
In addition to the balancing of her professional and volunteer commitments, Patti is a strong participant in anti-violence awareness political activism. She has stood, yearly, on our Parliament’s steps for Missing and Murdered Missing Indigenous Women and Girls, repeatedly journeyed to Queen’s Park for the Elimination of Violence Against Women actions, held vigil for the yearly remembrances of the 1989 Montreal Massacre, championed Indigenous Women Gatherings, and International Women’s Day events.
For 30 years, Patti, has traveled to Toronto representing the Mattawa Women's Resource Centre at the Ontario Association of Interval and Transition Houses, OAITH, on committees dedicated to education, anti-racism and inclusive work. Patti has a set of natural capabilities and personality traits that makes her exceptional. A sense of empathy and compassion for people of all walks of life is deeply ingrained in her.
Possessing a calm, non-judgemental, and open way of communicating with both the women she has advocated for, and her coworkers, Patti has enriched a great number of lives… a great number. Her life experiences have contributed to her awareness of the way culture, gender, developmental ability, and experiences of trauma can affect the way a life direction is perceived and travelled.
Patti’s greatest gift to the people that she interacts with, both on a professional and volunteer level, is her genuinely respectful support in validating, encouraging and maintaining the integrity of people’s values and decisions. She is a force of distinction."
Attorney General Doug Downey issued the following statement recognizing the recipients of the 2020-21 Victim Services Awards of Distinction:
"In recognition of exceptional achievements in service to victims of crime in Ontario, the Attorney General's 2020-21 Victim Services Awards of Distinction honour the remarkable contributions of 15 individuals and organizations from across the province.
In the face of unprecedented challenges, these dedicated professionals, generous volunteers and outstanding organizations have demonstrated an irrepressible drive to raise awareness of victims' issues, increase access to crisis intervention services and provide compassionate support in times of need.
