ARTICLE BY JOHNATHAN CHARLTON | SASKATOON STAR PHOENIX | JANUARY 24, 2014

Former Saskatoon Blades owner Jack Brodsky donated $100,200 to the Restorative Action Program Thursday. The money creates a sustainability fund to help the program cover any shortfalls as it expands to more high schools.

Brodsky said he and his wife Shirley felt fortunate to make the contribution.

“I’ve been a member of the Rotary club for many years. and I’Ve seen this program grow from one school a little over a year ago to seven schools now.” he said. “I‘ve seen the difference it makes in our community. and the better job we do of raising our youth -and it comes from family and the community – the better of! we all are.”

Six RAP workers deliver the program at seven schools it the city. They helped 850 students last year. Darren Bohmann. the RAP worker at Bethlehem Catholic school. said one of the more common issues is conflict on social media – two people get into an argument. others get involved, and the whole thing escalates rapidly.”

“I can get involved. bring the two students together face to face. be able to talk it out. You hear things from them like. ‘What I meant to say was’ or ‘I didn’t mean it this way‘ and you un package the conflict and de-escalate.”

Brodsky’s donation “shows we have a lot of support in the community for what we do,“ Bohmann said. Winston Blake, executive director of RAP. said Brodsky‘s donation shows RAP is really a community program, not something supported only by government.

“Jack is a hero in this community. He has been a philanthropist. more importantiy he has been a community champion in so many ways. from the Blades to his work with other organizations,” he said.

To me. it was just Jack doing what Jack does.“

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