Tait: A Capacity To Care

Nathan Devlin can’t speak — but the twinkle in his eyes, wide smile and movement of his left arm says volumes.

More significantly, his expressions reminds us that we all have the capacity to care and share, even when people who may be viewed as needing help, rather than giving it.

Nathan is 22 years old and has cerebral palsy. He can’t speak and requires round the clock care from an assistant.

He has a terrific eye. With the help from his assistant Rene Laporte, Nathan takes pictures with his camera and then turns them into pieces of thoughtful, dignified and colored art.

He has just finished a six-week project specifically for the ATCO Edmonton Sun Christmas Charity Auction which kicks off Tuesday at 9 a.m. Funds will be divided evenly between four local charities: the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton, Catholic Social Services, Adopt-A-Teen and the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The journey began when Nathan and Rene were driving around the river valley and stopped in one of their favorite places to look at the city from the south side of the North Saskatchewan River — Strathearn Park.

“It has a nice, clear view of the city,” Rene said, glancing at Nathan for his approval.

After Nathan took several pictures, he picked the one he liked the most.

“We put it in a projector to layout the picture on the canvas on the wall so Nathan could trace out the city,” said Rene, adding the canvas is 24 by 48 inches.

Then, the work began. Rene put a brush in Nathan’s hand and help move his arms and hands around outlines of buildings in downtown Edmonton.

Nathan made his own moves for much of the work.

But when there had to be precise movements, Rene helped guide his arm and hands.

Always an innovator, Nathan wanted to give the painting a 3-D effect and used a plaster mixture and incorporated it into the piece.

Nathan and Rene watched on-line tutorials on how to best create an evening winter scene.

“Nathan learned a lot of painting techniques through working on the painting,” said Rene.

When the piece was finally done, Nathan and his dad worked together to build a maple wood frame.

In the end, it’s a colorful winter scene of downtown looking north.

It’s a piece that would fit any company’s board room or personal office.

Perhaps more profound, though, is how Nathan and Rene parked his needs, and focused in on helping others.

And for Rene, who has worked with Nathan for many years, the project can help massage some attitudes towards people with disabilities.

“People with disabilities are often the receiver of care,” said Rene.

“But they also want to care, and contribute as well.”

We’ll be watching this item over the course of the auction. Hopefully, it will get a warm home.

“The project improved our teamwork,” said Rene.

“It was also very special for us, knowing our work is going to such a good cause.”

Indeed, the need to be needed is something all of us, with or without disabilities, is something to be celebrated and embraced.

(Cam Tait is the special project advisor for Challenge Insurance.)