X-Project founder
Community to honour Joan Dillon
GUYSBOROUGH - For the past 40 years Joan Dillon has helped shape the lives of children in the Black communities of Guysborough County in very positive ways. Dillon founded and nurtured X-Project, a student outreach program at St. Francis Xavier University. The StFX community is gathering tonight (Wednesday) to honour the woman who dedicated her life to a program that has benefited generations of children in Lincolnville, Sunnyville, Upper Big Tracadie and the Paq'tnkek First Nation.
The Celebration of Friendship in honour of Dillon will take place upstairs at the Keating Millennium Centre from 6 to 8 p.m. Dillon is seriously ill but is able to be present for the gathering. All are welcome.
Wendy Campbell, co-ordinator of the Afrikan Heritage Centre at Chedabucto Place in Guysborough, is one of hundreds who benefited from Dillon's work.
"She gave so much to the community of Lincolnville," the 48-year-old said Tuesday. "Looking back on my childhood, she opened up things that many students today don't have. There was no money, but we went to plays, we went to the Cape Breton Community College, we went to Halifax. She made our world whole. Every Christmas she took some kids to her mother and father's home in PEI and made their Christmas. She made sure Christmas came to our community centre every Christmas."
X-Project, which started in 1965, is best known as a tutoring program for children in these communities, but over the years adults also benefited from the program through initiatives such as first-aid training and pottery classes. Campbell said Dillon and others with X-Project were also instrumental in establishing Girl Guides, Boy Scouts and 4-H programs in Lincolnville.
"Joan has been a miracle. God sent Joan to us…When we speak of Joan there's nothing but fond memories of what she gave us."
"I never understood racism until after I got older," recalled Campbell. "She took us everywhere with pride. She gave her whole life to us. And it's just sad to know that today all we can give back to her is our love and to say thank you to God, thank you Jesus for giving Joan Dillon to us."
Last June, Guysborough's African Heritage Centre gave its first community recognition award to Joan Dillon and Josephine Byard of Sunnyville. "Joan was thrilled," said Campbell. "But it was too long coming. We were so thankful that we were able to do it while she was able to take part in it all."
In making the presentation to Dillon, Guysborough teacher Jennifer Desmond described Dillon as the "guardian angel" of Lincolnville, Sunnyville and Upper Big Tracadie.
As a child growing up in Upper Big Tracadie, Desmond said StFX University seemed so removed. "We wouldn't ever think of going there," she said. "But Joan brought it home for us and showed us that we could go there too." Desmond graduated with a BA from StFX in 1998 and her education degree in 2001. Desmond said Dillon was very humble about receiving the recognition award last year.
