On February 17, 2015, a beloved and valued colleague and friend of The Social Work Consulting Group passed away after a valiant fight with cancer.  Through her journey of cancer, Colette maintained her grace, joy and immense sense of humour. In the face of her illness Colette continued to counsel and support numerous clients and their families many of whom had no knowledge of her own struggle to survive.  In the eyes of her colleagues and friends, Colette (whose French origin means Victory of the People) never wavered in her determination to fight cancer head on.  To the end, Colette never failed to bring a smile to your face and was always willing to step up in the face of adversity.  She has left behind an unwavering legacy of the power of service to her friends, her family, her colleagues, her clients and her community.  It is in remembering her victorious spirit and her tremendous capacity to serve that we honour her annually with The Victory Project.

The clients that we serve often face numerous challenges in the aftermath of trauma and for many life can become burdensome.  It is through the annual Victory Project that we support one family during the holiday season who has met financial hardship.  The Victory Project is symbolic for both Colette’s strength as well as that of all of the clients that we serve.  The ability to take one step at a time (often uncertain of what the future holds) is so central to our clients’ journey.  With each step forward, a small victory is celebrated.  Understanding that through adversity lies opportunity for healing, growth and transformation.  The SWCG honours and celebrates all of our clients who are walking the path of victory.