Willow Park Church

(Reprinted from The Daily Courier)

He's not a rock star or Hollywood icon, but Don St. Pierre cannot walk through downtown Kelowna without being recognized.

For the past year, St. Pierre has been an outreach worker with Metro, a faith-based group under the covering of Willow Park Church that reaches out to the street community of the city.

During his time with Metro, St. Pierre has made dozens of friends.

He can be seen walking the streets day or night, "meeting people where they are at" to offer them support and to let them know someone cares about them.

"I'm a recovering alcoholic myself so I have a lot in common with them," he said. "I've become very good friends with the majority of these people."

Along with simply talking to them and hanging out, St. Pierre helps to get them back on track by providing support and connecting them to various services and agencies that can help them with everything from housing to addiction issues.

The biggest need facing the street community is a lack of affordable housing he when referring to the needs of the downtown community.

"We're the spiritual component," he said of Metro which holds a variety of downtown programs, including a Sunday morning service.

But there is no bible thumping allowed.

"We are not there to evangelize anyone. We don't preach on the street. All we are there for is to help and serve."

And it is that honest caring with no other agenda that draws the street community to the Metro crew.

"If they want to come to a service they are welcome, but we are not forcing it on them."

A Sunday morning service, which does not conform to a 'traditional' church service, attracts more than 200 people.

St. Pierre said there are a lot of misconceptions about the street community, the largest being they are all criminals and degenerates.

St. Pierre has come to know a group of caring people who had endured circumstances in their lives that sent them down a path of addiction.

"For whatever reason the general public thinks they are bad guys, when in fact, they are held captive by their addictions."

Crack cocaine is the most prevalent drug on the streets and St. Pierre said it is the most addictive drug he has ever seen.

Most of the people he deals with the in the downtown core are crack addicts, and every one of them has a story of childhood abuse that turned down a dark path.

But, the former welding business owner has also seen many people get off drugs and return to society.

St. Pierre has been volunteering with Metro since December, but will likely soon be caring for the street community on a full-time basis.

For more information on Metro, go to www.willowparkchurch.com, or call St. Pierre at 250-215-5257.