Swift Current Area Office Hosts Local 50th Anniversary Celebration
Legal Aid Saskatchewan CEO Jayne Mallin and Regional Legal Director Adrian McBride at the Southwest Justice Celebration
It was a scorchin’ hot day, but that didn’t deter more than 100 people from gathering in downtown Swift Current on Tuesday afternoon for a BBQ hosted by Legal Aid Saskatchewan’s Swift Current Area Office.
Regional Legal Director Adrian McBride organized a “Southwest Justice Celebration” to commemorate Legal Aid Saskatchewan’s 50 years of service and to recognize the valuable community partners that contribute to our success.
Among the guests were members of the local RCMP, Prosecutions, Probations, Child and Family Services, Community Living, Addictions and Mental Health, and the Alternate Measures and Fine Option Program. Judge Kovatch, recently retired from the Provincial Court in Regina, joined the celebrations, as did Justice Tomka, newly appointed to the Court of King’s Bench at Swift Current. Judge Jacobson, newly appointed to the Swift Current Provincial Court, was unable to attend, but extended his congratulations to LAS for this exciting milestone.
“LAS cannot meet client needs without community support,” Adrian explained. “We are successful because of the dedicated service these groups provide.”
He points to the Swift Current Domestic Violence Undertaking Program as an example of effective collaboration. A spin-off of Domestic Violence Court, a person charged with domestic assault and placed on conditions can apply to the program, and if a risk assessment deems them suitable for counselling, they will be matched with an outreach worker. With successful completion of the program, the charges may be either dismissed, withdrawn or given absolute discharge. After a couple of years in operation, no one has failed to complete the program, and everyone calls it a success.
With welcoming remarks by Adrian and a speech by CEO Jayne Mallin featuring some historic facts about the Swift Current legal aid office, the Southwest Justice Celebration was an event of camaraderie and community spirit, topped off with generous donations of food and cash for the local food bank.
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