A Barrie man who says he owes his life to SOYA founder Connie-Raynor Elliott is in the Sault this week giving back to the organization that helped set him on a straight path.
Devon Pigeon, 27, said he was 16 when the founder of Saving Our Young Adults from Drug Addiction helped him to seek treatment.
"I grew up in a youth shelter here in the Sault and when I was growing up I was selling my medication," Pigeon said.
He said Raynor-Elliott helped him realize the harm he was doing to himself, as well as the community, by using and selling drugs.
At the time, SOYA didn’t have a physical location. Back then it was run by Raynor-Elliott and a handful of volunteers.
It has since grown to an organization with a permanent presence on Gore Street and a virtual army of purple-shirted volunteers.
"She took me to a land-based treatment centre and SOYA covered all the costs – it had to be thousands of dollars," Pigeon said.
He admits he had a few stumbles along the way after treatment, but eventually ended up living in Barrie where he does street-level work assisting people with substance use disorder.
Pigeon is in the Sault this week giving back to Raynor-Elliott and the organization that gave him so much.
"She gave me everything. She gave me my life back," said Pigeon.
He installed a mural he painted onto the south wall of the depot. People driving up Gore Street and those in line at the depot will no doubt see the brightly coloured panels, each containing an image of interlocking hands and hearts.
"I wanted to bring some colour back to the neighbourhood," Pigeon said.
He is also painting chairs in SOYA’s signature shade of purple, which will serve as symbolic tributes.
"They will be in the front window of the depot, used for events," explained Pigeon. "No one will sit in them, they represent the people who are no longer sitting at the table.
"I also have names on the bricks in my tattoos to remember them," he said, pointing to the brick wall inked on his right arm.
One of the events those chairs will be used for is the upcoming Overdose Awareness Day, which will be held on Aug. 31 at the Memorial Wall and the Roberta Bondar Pavilion.
Pigeon won't be in the Sault when the international event is marked later this month, but will attend in Barrie.
"I know it's kind of a sad event, but I love it because I get to see my friends and remember the ones who didn't make it," he said.
