WIBCA hosts upcoming meet and mingle

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the accomplishments, successes and contributions of the Black community.

One such local organization making a difference is the West Island Black Community Association (WIBCA).

They offer some great free resources to the local community, including Saturday morning tutorials at Riverdale High school (10-12) and an afterschool homework program also at Riverdale (currently offered only to its students) that is also free of charge and runs from Monday to Thursday from

4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Volunteers run the programs. Elizabeth-Ann Williams, a former chairperson of the organization, said WIBCA was “founded in 1982 by Margaret Jolly, 72, and the late Norma Husbands. There was absolutely no recreation whatsoever for the kids in our community in the West Island.”

The two founders, both mothers, solicited the government and city council originally to get a place for the kids to play basketball. “The whole organization is run by volunteers, we always have been. We have not ever generated funds to pay a permanent person in the office.”

The vision of WIBCA, according to its website “is extending its programs for the benefit of all, regardless of ethnic origin, colour, gender, religion or race, and to be integrated as a vibrant part of society by continuously increasing the participation in our programs to reach more youths, adults and seniors.”

Williams said that “because of the infl ux of refugees, people have been using our centre to find out where do we go for this, or for that. We are near Cloverdale (in eastern Pierrefonds) which is where many of the refugees are, so we have to be up to date with what the resources are.”

On Feb. 24, WIBCA is hosting a meet and mingle from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (48 4th Ave. S., Roxboro) as they showcase Black professionals and business owners as well as offer an opportunity for networking.