THUNDER BAY – NEWS – The first meeting for recruiting people who would like to become involved in the Guardian Angels will be Wednesday, February 11, 7 PM until 9 PM. The place will be the Boys and Girls Club ofThunder Bay and the address is 270 Windsor St.
Please understand that this is a meeting to say hello to answer some questions, and to recruit the people who want to form part of the first generation of the Guardian Angels in Thunder Bay.
This is not an open forum for debate, or an opportunity for the naysayers to come out and start trouble.
There will be no tolerance and no room for bigots, arrogant people, or people who simply disagree. This is a meeting to say hello, tell my story, tell the story of the Guardian Angels, and get organized with the first step.
Once we have recruited people whether it be one, 10, or 20, we will make another meeting with an agenda, and in that agenda will be the first phase of what the guardian angels activities will be.
So again please let me be extremely clear everyone is welcome! This is the opportunity to speak in person,just don’t come with bad intentions…just be cool..
This is not the opportunity to point fingers and tell me every little detail about the things that are wrong with with Thunder Bay.
It is definitely not the place to come to point fingers and tell me how I have no authority, or how we are not welcome! The five people who are telling me that I am the devil and the Guardian Angels are a joke, well thank you very much for your opinions and your time, but I get it, you have your own issues and that’s fine and I do wish you the best and I hope you get help. My meeting is not the place for you to come as I will have you removed in an instant.
If you come and I hear a racial slur against any creed, sexual orientation, or religion, you will be asked to leave immediately.
My intention is to establish a communication with you,answer your questions and sign you up as volunteers to become Guardian Angels and that’s it.
Now I know there are people asking me about the latest things in the news, such as me with the mayor, obviously with the chief of police, obviously the big news is the relationship we are establishing with the Fort William First Nation, and installing the Guardian Angels program in their community…well,its started,we have take the first steps,and its on its way.
I can say this and I will confirm it from my end, but the relationship with the Thunder Bay Police is phenomenal, and I will be reporting to them as soon as the meeting is over with a plan that we are in motion and the hopefully that we are on the same page.
Also I will be reporting directly to the Mayor and let him know we are up to you, as I know he is on board, but he also needs things writing which is fine, and correct.
Yes I will 100% confirmed that we are going to be working with the Fort William first nation, and I have a meeting with the Council next week, with big things planned!
Also although I would have said that we will not be entirely focusing on community safety patrols,….
February 13 was the date of the very first Guardian Angel patrol in New York City, Friday night; Feb 13, 2015 with whoever I have on board, I will be walking the streets around Victoria Ville Mall, saying hello to who is ever there, extending our hand in friendship to the business as that are open at that hour.
I am planning to be there from 9:30 PM till 11 PM. For me this is an amazing opportunity to restart the Guardian Angels in Canada on the same date as our original safety patrol took to the streets.
Of course I will use it as a live training exercise, with the intention of doing four things, number one will be let the world know that we are really hear, number two, will be to explain to our new recruits how we function on the street, what will be our role here, and to make it clear that we are a unit working together to make the community of safer place, and letting the bad elements know with the Police and City Leaders, and Citizens, now have more support than ever with new eyes and years on the streets.
Number three, I understand Thunder Bay is needing to feel safer, and wants to see if I am really going to do this, well, pretty much will guarantee you that yes I am here.and we go!
Number four, hopefully get a better sense of how things really are and reach out and offer assistance not just to businesses, and staff, but also to people on the street, you never know if somebody needs help, guidance, first aid, or simply just a hug, so we will be starting Friday, February 13!
Whether I go myself or with a troop, our first recruitment meeting is February 11, and then our first presence in the community will be felt Friday, February 13.
Of course I hope to see many of you who have been messaging me since October, telling me that you are ready to help, please show up, I would love to know you in person, and I need volunteers, we the Guardian Angels need you, and so does your community. So I have done my part, I am here, I have watched and listened and learned, I have talked to all the city and civic leaders, now it’s time to rock!
I will see you in less than a week!
If you want to be a Guardian Angel, just show up on Wednesday night and we will work it out!
Ian Hodgkinson
Guardian Angels Canada
