Kate Frego has been a dedicated volunteer since she began in 2016.
Originally from Winnipeg, Kate came to Saint John in 1994 to teach botany at UNB Saint John, with an expertise in moss. She first got involved with the Saint John Newcomers Centre after she retired from the university 20 years later.
Kate Frego has been a dedicated volunteer since she began in 2016.
Originally from Winnipeg, Kate came to Saint John in 1994 to teach botany at UNB Saint John, with an expertise in moss. She first got involved with the Saint John Newcomers Centre after she retired from the university 20 years later. Kate says her interest in paying it forward for newcomers came from the experience of listening to stories at the knee of her grand-parents, who had fled war in Europe to start a new life in Canada.
The first idea that came to Kate was to create a space where newcomer women could come and share their stories. That became the Craft & Conversation group, where women could come and feel at home. It was a refuge where they could meet other women like themselves, but also other local volunteers like Kate who they could learn from and helped make them feel like they could call Saint John their new home.
‘We met at first, with women who were terrified, not knowing exactly what several older local women were up to. But they soon realized we were sincere and really just wanted to help. That got them excited and enthused about getting together. It soon became a spot where they would come each week, bring food and share their culture’.
Kate says it was really about was integration, helping families get adjusted to the community. It was a huge change at first for many people, but coming to a spot in the Crescent Valley Resource Centre every Friday provided a social environment that made it easier. The weekly Craft & Conversation group quickly expanded from a few to sometimes more than 30 women.
At first the women learned to sew and practice their English with the help of an interpreter, but the cold winters soon made learning to knit even more important. Hats, scarves, mitts and sweaters soon became very common. There were lots of local outings, pre-Covid-19, where they explored Rockwood Park, Saint’s Rest Beach and even Kings Landing. And the crafts extended to learning to paint, beading, building gingerbread houses and decorating for Ramadan and Christmas.
Now, Kate says as more families come to Saint John from across the Middle East and countries like Afghanistan, it is much more about developing relationships, ‘we have this lovely blending of cultures and people who are friends’. As for volunteers like her, Kate says there is still a core of 5-6 of core volunteers who stay involved each week, even as they continue to meet online during the pandemic.
The top tips that I tell newcomers who come to Saint John are: Be brave, be ready to step out of your own cultural group, which is hard to do. We have to be able to have newcomers reach out and meet us halfway, despite the issues of culture and language. It’s hard to do.
Want to Volunteer?
The Saint John Newcomers Centre offers a variety of rewarding volunteering opportunities for Saint Johner’s looking to make a difference in the lives of newcomers to the community. Whether you have a passion for teaching, mentoring, event planning, or simply lending a helping hand, there is a role for everyone at the Newcomers Centre. Join us in creating a welcoming and inclusive community for all.
