Image: From old to new! Executive Director Jerilyn Dressler in our emptied contact centre in the old building (left) and then in our new contact centre bustling with volunteers and staff serving the community. As of February 1st, 2020 our new address is: #500, 999 8th Street SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1J5 At noon on January 31st,...
Image: A contact card from 1979. Some information removed to protect confidentiality. Compared to the first five years of DIC operations, 1976-1979 were relatively uneventful. Reliable, ongoing funding was the major administrative issue. Co-ordinator Penny Cairns noted in a 1976 staff meeting that fundraising was taking up so much time it was hard for her to...
In the early 1970s, outreach to clients, to the local community and to other professionals formed significant parts of the Drug Information Centre’s work. By 1975, funders were also demanding such collaboration. One major initiative was The House. Opening in June 1973 at 635 4 Ave N. E., The House provided a group-living experience for teenagers...
Image: From a 1972 newspaper. At the end of 1971, the Drug Information Centre (DIC) continued at its original location, operating 24/7. Education, crisis support and counselling regarding drug issues remained the main goals. Policy decisions were arrived at through group discussion. A grant of $2,000 from Junior League supported the library, with the rest of...
Self-care is any activity that we intentionally do in order to take care of our physical, mental and emotional health. Practicing self-care helps you avoid burn out, improve your mood and reduce anxiety. By taking care of yourself you’re able to be there for others when they need you. As Karen Pickles from Stresscase puts it:...
While smoking dope and ‘finding themselves,’ Canadian youth were crossing the country in large numbers during the late 1960s and early 70s. It was a lifestyle most cities and towns were unprepared to deal with. Social supports were slowly being put into place, but never without controversy. To enable a large-scale professional discussion of this problem,...
Although it was the general concern for youth encountering the drug culture that prompted the original Drug Advisory committee members to come together, there was a much more pressing issue for the larger Calgary community. Sex, drugs and rock and roll would be infecting McMahon Stadium on July 4 and 5th of 1970, by way...
Pictured: The Drug Information Centre logo. Distress Centre got its start in 1970 as the Drug Information Centre (DIC). It came to life at a time when psychedelic drugs and cannabis were emerging concerns, along with other street drugs, the misuse of legal drugs, and alcohol. “Calgary was a sleepy town. In Vancouver, drugs had been around...
We are moving! As of February 1st, our new address will be: Suite 500, 999 8th Street SW, Calgary, AB T2R 1J5 Please updates your records accordingly. Frequently Asked Questions: Will the office be closed during the move? Yes, our office will be closed Friday, January 31 to Tuesday, February 4th at 9am. There will be no disruption to...
Welcome to 50 stories for 50 years, the history of Distress Centre Calgary from 1969 to the present. My name is Donna Crawford, and I am a volunteer who has the honour and pleasure of guiding you on this journey; a very different kind of guidance than provided by those volunteers at the original Drug...
