“I was an alcoholic. I drank a lot.”
That’s how Gilles starts his story.
Before his recovery, Gilles faced a series of serious setbacks. His alcohol use had already led to the loss of his job and his housing.
But he knew he needed a fresh start.
He joined a therapeutic living unit: 12-hour days, seven days a week. For the first time, his life had structure.
But Gilles knew a fresh start would take more than that. A couple of his friends from that program had gone on to CDC and said it worked for them. He decided to give it a shot.
His first week was full of anxiety. He was surrounded by guys he didn’t know, being asked to talk about how he felt. He’d never opened up about his feelings in front of anyone, let alone a room full of strangers.
But he kept showing up. Day after day, the program gave him words for what he’d been carrying.
“It taught me how to have compassion for myself and have empathy for others,” he shares. “It really just showed me that I did have a problem and it gave me a solution.”
Little by little, that room full of strangers became a brotherhood. Because the opposite of addiction is connection.
“I’m trying to live a life worth living,” Gilles says.
As part of his recovery, Gilles joined a crew at Good Contracting, CDC’s general contracting social enterprise that gives men in recovery real, paid work. He was so good at it that after he graduated, his boss recommended him to be a crew lead.
Today, he spends his days rebuilding homes and rebuilding lives, working alongside guys who lost everything, just like he did. And every morning, he shows up two hours early. He waters the plants. He helps in the kitchen. And when a new guy walks in for the first time, anxious and unsure, Gilles is there to tell him it gets better.
He knows, because he was that guy.
Bio coming soon.
Steve Balisky is an intrapreneur with over 15 years of experience driving data-driven transformation within national companies Suncor and Mark’s. He has also been providing leadership consulting to nonprofits for the last 10 years and has served on the CDC board since 2019. Steve holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Operations Management and an MBA in Strategy. He is a husband and father of two, and has his own faith-filled recovery story, which inspires him to support others on their path to recovery.
Ben has been the Lead Pastor of First Assembly Church in Calgary since 2014, bringing over 30 years of ministry and leadership experience to the non-profit sector. He’s also an executive leadership coach, helping leaders thrive across various sectors since 2012. His experience includes serving on national and regional boards within his denomination, as well as supporting Vancouver’s homeless through his past involvement with Operation Compassion. Ben has served on the CDC board in Calgary for the past decade and believes the Church plays a vital role in creating lasting community impact.
Craig Hill has been involved with the Calgary Dream Centre (CDC) since its inception. Starting with trips to the LA Dream Centre where seeds were planted in him that were never forgotten. After years of working in business, real estate, and church ministry, Craig returned to the CDC to step in as the CEO. Craig has a deep appreciation for the life change that happens here, the incredible team, and seeing the redemptive work that God is doing. Outside of work, Craig is a family man who loves nothing more than being with his wife and kids at the lake.
David grew up in northern Canada and attended the University of Alberta where he graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. He worked as an engineer for about seven years before moving into project management and then business management, primarily focused in the oil and gas production and refining industry.
David stepped into the COO role of a business that was in trouble due to the 2008 financial crisis. After turning that business around, he took an international role leading project managers who managed a portfolio of $1.5B of projects around the globe.
Since then, David has consulted for businesses and organizations in medicine, engineering, homelessness, and addiction recovery, and serves on various not-for-profit boards.
David is currently running another business in California that was also in need of a dramatic turnaround and now scaling this business for further profitable growth.
Cal has spent 35 years in the agricultural industry and brings domestic and international executive leadership experience in strategy development, operations, business development, and M&A in a rapid growth environment. He is a Professional Engineer, Certified Post Merger Integration Specialist, and is a holder of the Institute of Corporate Directors Director designation (ICD.D).
Throughout his life, Cal has volunteered in his community in sport and programs that focus on relational, emotional, and spiritual health. He has served on non-profit boards in both governance and advisory capacities. Cal truly believes no one is beyond hope and counts it a privilege to serve at the Calgary Dream Centre.
Bob Nash is a dedicated and service focused professional Electrical Engineer volunteering as Board Chair and Project Manager for the Calgary Dream Centre (CDC). Bob’s involvement with the CDC extends to its earliest days. His faith, and his sincere passion for helping people overcome addiction and restoring their lives, have motivated his service. Using his 35 years of senior management experience at Canadian Pacific Railway, Bob has effectively used his leadership, management, strategic planning, project management skills and philanthropic support to help propel the Calgary Dream Centre to where it is today. Bob and his wife of 44 years have two children and six grandchildren.
