All Sections All Sections Winnipeg Free Press Subscribe
Articles Read Your Balance +tax

April 23, 2021

Winnipeg
-2° C, Partly cloudy

Full Forecast

Contact Us Subscribe Manage Subscription Chat with us
Log in Create Free Account Help Chat with us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising Contact
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Subscribe to Newsletters

    • Finding your
      information

    • My Account
    • Manage my Subscription
    • Change Password

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate

    • Log Out
    • Log in
    • Create Free Account
    • Help

    • Grid View
    • List View
    • Compact View
    • Text Size
    • Translate
  • Coronavirus Coverage
  • Replica E-Edition
    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times
  • Above the Fold
  • Front page
  • Arts & Life
    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Book Club
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Canada
  • Local
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • World
  • The StarNEW
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Archives
  • Canstar Community News
    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Classifieds
  • Contests
  • Coupons
    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • Sponsored
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Articles
  • Flyers
  • Homes
    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Newsletters
  • Obituaries
  • Puzzles
  • Photostore
  • More

©2021 FP Newspaper Inc.

Close
  • Quick Links

    • Coronavirus Coverage
    • Above the Fold
    • Home
    • Local
    • Canada
    • World
    • Classifieds
    • Special Coverage
    • Flyers
    • Newsletters
    • Obituaries
    • Photostore
    • Archives
    • Contests
    • Publications
    • Sponsored Content
    • Privacy Policy

    Ways to support us

    • Pay it Forward program
    • Subscribe
    • Day Pass
    • Read Now Pay later
  • Replica E-Edition

    • About the E-Edition
    • Winnipeg Free Press
    • The Herald
    • The Headliner
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'Wester
    • The Times

    Business

    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Personal Finance
  • Arts & Life

    • All Arts & Life
    • The Arts
    • Autos
    • Books
    • Cannabis
    • Celebrities
    • Diversions
    • Puzzles
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Faith
    • Food & Drink
    • Your Health
    • Life & Style
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Science & Technology
    • TV
    • Travel
  • Sports

    • All Sports
    • Amateur
    • Auto Racing
    • Blue Bombers
    • Curling
    • Football
    • Goldeyes
    • Golf
    • High School
    • Hockey
    • Horse Racing
    • Winnipeg Jets
    • Manitoba Moose
    • WHL
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • Olympics
    • Soccer
  • Opinion

    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send a Letter to the Editor

    Media

    • All Media
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos

    Homes

    • Property Listings
    • Featured News
    • Renovation and design
    • New homes
    • Resale homes
  • Canstar Community News

    • All Canstar Community News
    • The Headliner
    • The Herald
    • The Lance
    • The Metro
    • The Sou'wester
    • The Times
    • Sports
    • Events
    • Contact Us
    • E-Editions
  • Coupons

    • All Coupons
    • Staples Copy & Print Coupons
    • Ripley's Aquariums Coupons
    • The Bay Coupons
    • Staples Canada Coupons
    • Altitude Sports Coupons
    • Nike Coupons
    • Tuango Coupons
    • Ebay Canada Coupons
    • Sport Chek Coupons
    • Roots Coupons
  • About Us

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Us
    • Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
    • FP Newspapers Inc.
    • History
    • Internships
    • Job Opportunities
    • News Café
    • Privacy Policy
    • Retail Locations
    • Staff Biographies
    • Terms and Conditions
Canstar Community News
  • The Herald
  • The Lance
  • The Sou'wester
  • The Metro
  • The Times
  • The Headliner
  • Sports
  • Correspondents
  • Columns
  • Contact Us
  • E-Edition
  • Publications
  • Building Unity: Our Community Centres

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

West Broadway youth worker a Manitoba hero

Man humbled by award

By: Cindy Chan
Posted: 1:21 PM CDT Friday, Nov. 1, 2013

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Print
  • Email
  • Save to Read Later
West Broadway Youth Outreach executive director Ken Opaleke (centre, in the yellow shirt) is one of five 2013 Manitoba Heroes selected by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Alumni.

SUPPLIED PHOTO

West Broadway Youth Outreach executive director Ken Opaleke (centre, in the yellow shirt) is one of five 2013 Manitoba Heroes selected by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Alumni.

To describe Ken Opaleke as passionate is an understatement.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 1/11/2013 (2729 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

To describe Ken Opaleke as passionate is an understatement.

The executive director of West Broadway Youth Outreach (WBYO), located at 203-222 Furby St., was one of five Manitobans who were named 2013 Manitoba Heroes by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Alumni.

The other four Manitoba Heroes are Aboriginal Youth Opportunities (AYO!) founder Michael Champagne, Got Bannock? founder Althea Guiboche, entertainer Fred Penner, and "Pennies for the Homeless" founder Owen Settee. The five winners were honoured at city hall Oct. 25 as well as at a gala dinner at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg Oct. 26.

"There were four other people (at the table that I sat at) who give so selflessly of themselves, and I am just in awe of their company and I am speechless and moved by this recognition," Opaleke said of his award.

Opaleke has been with WBYO for 22 years as of Oct. 10. When Opaleke took charge of the centre, he had to build it from scratch because it was shut down when he took the reins.

"West Broadway Youth Outreach is a life skills program that is simply camouflaged as a recreational program. Most kids come in thinking, ‘I’ll run around in a gym and play games’, when in actuality it’s a program that offers homework club, music programs, reading programs, swimming lessons, every life skill you can imagine," Opaleke said.

Opaleke said he has stayed on board for over two decades because his job doesn’t feel like work.

"It still feels like my first day because I’m that hyped to go to work. I just happen to be the person who can’t stop smiling," Opaleke said, crediting the volunteers and kids at WBYO who make the centre such a successful and joyful place to be.

Opaleke believes one reason why kids enjoy being part of the WBYO is because he makes them believe their opinions matter.

Stay informed

The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19.

Subscribe to COVID-19 Briefing
Sign Up

"We vote on everything. In my 22 years, I’ve never won a vote," Opaleke said with a chuckle. "I have a vote, but I have no say. As a child, it’s empowering to know that their words carry as much weight as anybody else in here."

One of Opaleke’s goals with the centre is to have 10 of the kids become doctors, and he is halfway there. Two of the kids that attended the WBYO have become doctors and have returned to occasionally tutor the current children, and three are studying to become doctors.

"I was terrible in sciences in school so when I started my centre, I thought, ‘what do I consider a profession that is hard for me?’" Opaleke said.

For more information about the WBYO, visit westbroadwayyouthoutreach.com or call 204-774-0451.

Facebook.com/TheMetroWPG
Twitter: @metroWPG

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

  • Report Error
  • Submit a Tip
  • Refund

The Winnipeg Free Press invites you to share your opinion on this story in a letter to the editor. A selection of letters to the editor are published daily.

To submit a letter:
• fill out the form on this page, or
• email letters@freepress.mb.ca, or
• mail Letters to the Editor, 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2X 3B6.

Letters must include the writer’s full name, address, and a daytime phone number. Letters are edited for length and clarity.

Advertisement

Advertise With Us

Top