By Ken Pastushyn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeshore News Reporter
“A place to go, a place to grow” is the motto of the LaSalle Hangout for Youth, which
recently celebrated 10 years of assisting and serving the community’s youth.
LaSalle mayor Crystal Meloche, a longtime supporter of the Hangout, along with members of the LaSalle Fire Department, joined the party to congratulate the staff and volunteers. The fire department, along with many local businesses, has supported the Centre with many fundraisers over the years.
At the party, a lot of food donations were accepted that day, with one grateful parent showing their appreciation by donating a brand-new
TV to the organization.
For the past 10 years, the Hangout has been a safe place for youths from 12 to 18 years of age
where they are encouraged to drop in after school, get help with their homework, grab a healthy
snack, participate in some constructive activities — and if needed — get some professional
counselling, all for free.
“In a lot of ways, the Hangout is a resource hub, where if we don’t provide you with the exact
service you need, we can point you in the right direction,” said Michael Bews, 30, the
program coordinator, who received his bachelor’s degree in social work from the University
of Windsor in 2018 and has filled various positions at the Hangout ever since. “Somebody there
will help you with your problem – I guarantee it.”
Bews said the Hangout’s beginnings were humble – a volunteer run organization relying
solely on contributions from sponsors. It began with two youth members, two nights a week
inside the basement of St. Andrews Anglican Church. The founders were Rama
Musharbash, the current director and operations manager Brian Kovacsi.
“They spoke to police, local community leaders and discovered there was a need for an
after-school programs in LaSalle,” said Bews. “In the beginning, they encountered a few at-
risk youth, and the need became increasingly apparent after the program was launched.”
Later, the Hangout moved to the Riverdance Building behind Gil Maure Park next to the
docks. Bews remembers basically operating out of the trunk of a few cars. He recalls
kids being so grateful for the organization where “they’d take down and put up for the next
day” because the room had to be shared with another tenant. In 2017, the Hangout
moved to its current location on Front Road and gained registered charity status in 2020.
Kovacsi and Musharash were a big inspiration to Bews both personally and professionally
as they managed to keep the Hangout going throughout the years, with challenges ranging from
staffing shortages to a lack of funding.
“I’m amazed with what they were able to do with limited resources,” said Bews, who
considers them to be mentors.
Bews is currently the only paid employee at the Hangout, wearing many hats.
From managing volunteers to supervising the youth, he also plans daily activities and events.
Bews also does the cooking at the Hangout with other volunteers. He says, at the
Hangout “we have a pretty big pantry” and “we provide one free optional meal a day.” The
Hangout’s food security program is very popular. Many youths come to the pantry to grab
some fruit or granola bars and be on their way.
The staff will also try to help students who are falling behind with their studies. Often
education students from the University of Windsor assist in a volunteer capacity, helping
with homework and tutoring.
What Bews is most passionate about is always expanding his knowledge about mental
health and being the best advocate, he can be.
“We’ve had youths struggle with issues like self-harm and teen pregnancy,” said Bews.
“Seeing youths deal with those issues has inspired me to want to go back to school and
get my master’s degree, so that I can be better equipped to help handle youths in those
situations.”
According to Bews, the Hangout currently lacks the funding to hire on-site counsellors
explaining, “We’ve also borrowed peer support workers from the Youth Wellness Hub of
Windsor,” often giving referrals to other organizations.
Bews tells of one youth who spent a lot of his days growing up at the Hangout, describing
him as ‘being adrift and not knowing what to do,’ adding ‘his home-life wasn’t great,
but it wasn’t the worst we’ve seen.’ The Hangout gave him his first job and after aging out of
the program, he became actively involved as a volunteer. Bews said he got his diploma
from St. Clair College and is gainfully employed.
“And it’s for youth like him that we bust our butts to keep the place going,” said Bews,
referring to the Hangout.
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