A FOND FAREWELL TO BEV CHAMBERS
We were all sad to hear last spring that Bev Chamber’s husband, Norm, had suffered a stroke, and that Bev had to resign from her position of Administrative Coordinator to care for him.
How do we say thank you to Bev Chambers for all she has contributed to CESLM? I don’t think we can capture all she has done and been for CESLM.
Bev met Madeline Johnson in 2006, shortly after she had retired from her years as the Director of the YWCA ESL program. Bev first became involved by writing a proposal for what became the Intercultural Communication Training Workshop. The proposal was accepted, and Bev was hired as a part time paid contractor to design the training and set up the project. This involved program design, curriculum development, materials preparation, facilitation and administration. Doing those workshops was Bev’s first love.
As time went on, it became more volunteer work, and less paid time, but Bev was still considered to be part time staff. Bev thought that CESLM was the right fit for her professional skills and spiritual beliefs. And were those professional skills ever needed and appreciated by all of us with CESLM!! She continued to coordinate the Intercultural Communication Project, and took on many administrative duties. Bev was the one who was on top of all our financial and legal obligations, filling out government forms, T-4’s, and looking after countless other tasks and details. When our treasurer resigned, Bev took over the responsibility of communication with our book keeper, and issuing receipts. During our Reaching Out With English, ESL Training Workshops, Networking Breakfasts, and Spring Training, Bev was there, preparing the resource binders, writing cheques for our honorariums and taking care of the details that made the events so successful. She was the one who found grants available to us, and did a wonderful job of filling out the applications. Without those grants, CESLM would have not been able to function for the past several years.
Bev says that her greatest pleasure has been meeting and working with the people involved in CESLM, board, staff, and volunteers. She has greatly enjoyed meeting the participants and seeing their response to the training we’ve provided.
Her vision for CESLM is “that those people we’ve trained, and those we train in the future, will continue working in local churches and in the community to help newcomers adapt to life in Canada and to share the love of Jesus Christ with all they meet.”
We, and everyone who has been involved in any way with CESLM have been blessed by Bev’s wisdom, love, warmth and enthusiasm. Time spent with her was always a pleasure and a blessing. On Behalf of the Board of Directors and friends of CESLM, we want to thank Bev for all that she is and has given to us and to many. We shall miss her presence, but we are confident that her support, prayers and best wishes are always with us. We hope that some time in the future, we will be able to welcome her back. We shall continue to uphold both Norm and Bev in our prayers.
Warmly,
Dale Fisher
(Secretary, CESLM )
Wonderful tribute, Dale, to a most valued and highly respected lady, Bev Chambers. I cannot adequately express what a blessing Bev was to me personally as well as to the Cooperative, faithfully serving as unto the Lord. I love her vision. God sent her at the right time. She will be sorely missed. We look to God, for the Cooperative belongs to Him.
Many, many thanks to Bev and all the unsung heroes at CESLM. Bev always made all of us feel welcome at the workshops and events. May God bless her and her husband (and all the other helpers at the Cooperative) this Christmas and always.
I met Bev at one of the Networking Breakfasts. Bev made me feel included at the event. May peace be with Bev and her husband. I look forward to seeing Bev in the near future.
Bev, thank you for your amazing contribution to CESLM. Your passion for reaching newcomers was evident no matter the task at hand and your love for people made you an excellent leader. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with you and know you. Many blessings as you move on.