ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING FOR CHATHAM YFC

Evon Hedley, Dan, Leighton Ford
A reunion of old time YFC'ers in Chatham, October 1997

 
Perhaps the greatest highlight of my teen years was being involved in the Chatham Youth For Christ.  In September of 1946, after the first season of the Blue Water Bible and Missionary Conference had concluded, and the outstanding speakers and musicians had gone back to their respective ministries, the four of us fellows who had stood to our feet at Dr. Oswald J. Smith’s invitation were now back at CCI.  Leighton stopped me in the hallway one day and said that there was going to be an organizational meeting for Youth For Christ in Chatham that night and thought we should go.

The two of us went to that memorable meeting which was held in the Regular Baptist Church, (now known as Emmanuel Baptist Church) which met in an upstairs hall on King Street. 

Evon Hedley was in charge of that organizational meeting for Youth For Christ.  Evon  was the area director of  the Canadian Youth For Christ Fellowship for Southern Ontario or South Western Ontario, I am not sure whether it was just SW Ontario or all of Southern Ontario.  He came to Chatham from his home in Brantford for the meeting that night.  After he explained what he would like to see happen by way of Youth For Christ in the City of Chatham, he then opened the floor for nominations for president.

I was a little ignorant of parliamentary procedure and so after what seemed a long period of silence, I stood up and said that I would like to nominate Leighton Ford for vice president.

Evon responded by saying that “We can’t nominate a vice president before we have a nomination for president.  Would you be willing to nominate Leighton for president?” he asked. So I responded and said “I nominate Leighton for president, if you think he is old enough.”

That night Leighton was elected president for our newly formed Chatham Youth For Christ along with other committee members. Well, Evon was in for a surprise later when he got home and found out that Leighton was still only fourteen years of age.  That was in September and Leighton was not fifteen until his birthday which was October 22nd.  The next three years were so exciting.

A word about the photo at the top of this post.  In the fall of 1997, I planned a reunion which was held in the First Presbyterian Church in Chatham. Evon Hedley, who was 80 at that time flew from California to be with us.  Leighton and his daughter Debbie came from Charlotte, North Carolina.  Approximately 60 some people attended a banquet and program on the Saturday night.  Leighton spoke in the church, his home church on the Sunday morning.  Many thanks goes to Phyllis Ripley for all the ground work in Chatham.
More Pictures From Reunion

Dan, Leona, Leighton, Debbie, Evon

My Dad, Leighton, Debbie

 
Leighton, Dan

 

My sister Barbara & Debbie




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