Canadian Tire

RENFREW COLLINGWOOD COMMUNITY NEWS

January 2023

5

In memory of Sterling James

To commemorate RC Pride 2021, Sterling James suggested that the benches outside Collingwood Neighbourhood House be painted. He painted the bench facing CNH’s front door where he had, as he said, “lounged on and off for the better of a decade.” Photo courtesy of Sterling James

Sterling James passed away on November 25, 2022, reports Naomi Holmes of Spectrum Society for Community Living, where he worked for 15 years.

“Sterling was a gift to everyone that had the opportunity to work with or spend time with him,” Naomi writes in an email to community members. “His fun, quirky and humorous nature could always turn a not-so-good day around. He told great stories and wrote some, too! Such a kind, thoughtful and generous man, who loved connecting with and creating connections with people.

“Such a dedicated and loyal guy. He will surely be missed by us all.”

Some of his contributions to Spectrum include supporting the transition of people served in a traditional day program to community-based supports and creating community partnerships with the Collingwood Neighbourhood House, Collingwood Community Policing Centre and the Collingwood Business Association.

In supporting people and their families, he stayed connected with the goals of the person and their networks so he could be part of co-designing interactive, flexible supports reflecting the principles of “Express yourself, build your network, find your voice.”

And in creating LGBTQ2 networking and celebratory opportunities in the Collingwood and New Westminster communities, he advocated for diversity and inclusion in all its forms. That is what community meant to him. Everyone.

“With Sterling’s passing we lost a really wonderful neighbourhood activist and friend to many at CNH,” writes Jennifer Gray-Grant, executive director of Collingwood Neighbourhood House. “Sterling really loved to laugh, tell stories, let you know what he was reading and share ideas about how we could improve life for people in Renfrew-Collingwood.” lobby in the morning, while he waited to pick up his participant for a day in the community, or in the afternoon, when his participant’s caregiver arrived to take them home. Sterling was such a friendly person he connected with many staff passing through CNH’s lobby.

“Sterling was very active on local committees,” she recalls. “He helped to organize the first Renfrew-Collingwood Pride, he was also active in the initial meetings of the Queer in Collingwood Committee and he helped to create the LGBTQ2S+ CRN for seniors in Renfrew-Collingwood.

“Sterling was also a dedicated member of the Renfrew-Collingwood Area Services Team (AST), attending virtually every meeting for the last decade, sharing information about Spectrum activities or the work of the various committees he sat on and providing information from other service providers back to Spectrum staff and participants.

Photo courtesy of Spectrum

“He was an engaged, active, passionate and kind person.”

—Compiled by Julie Cheng