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You will hear a number of stories told about how NSYS
really got started. Let me set the record straight. Some maintain it was a quirk of fate. Others say it was a combination of bizarre circumstances. Personally, I believe NSYS was contingent upon the alignment of celestial bodies - 3 stars to be exact. Let me explain further. |
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| John had returned from his sojourn, the
turbulent 70's had just begun - youth rebellion was
spreading to the streets and the board at the West Island
"Y" was wondering what the new community
outreach worker - that's me - was doing to rectify the
situation - click here. Back in those days the West Island "Y" was a much smaller - more out-of-the-way than it is today - click here to YMCA today.. We could never figure out why teenagers would actually hang out there - but they did and one of the regulars was Robert "Bob" Vokey. My boss saw leadership potential written all over this guy - but I couldn't. He was a nice kid though - I liked his ideas and the way he used his hands to explain things. His ideas were usually bigger than he was. Click Here. What most people don't know is that a failed YMCA youth initiative (in Pierrefonds) called "The House" proceeded NSYS by more than a year and a half. It was here that "Big" John Salvis - who had just returned from an international youth training experience got involved. Though not musically talented, it seems John had this idea that music could be used to "Reach Out" to young people and the first Roxboro United Coffee House was born -- Click Here. John was local to the North Shore and so came connected to a number of people, places and things. One of the things he was connected to was fellow Dawson College student - Alan Fryer. Alan was the 3rd point of conjunction. When Alan arrived, the alignment of stars was complete. Click Here. Now, in all honesty, I must point out to you that "Big John" remembers things a little differently than Bill. John tells the story of how two young people - (Alan Fryer & Bob Vokey) volunteered to become part of this movement of people - next. |
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