It is with enormous gratitude that the entire Renascent team and Board of Directors honour Ed Harding for his incredible contributions to Renascent’s mission and our clients over the last four decades. Ed has made the decision to retire at the end of October, and we wish him all the best as he moves on to the next phase of his life.
Ed started with Renascent in 1981 as a weekend volunteer, with his own recovery, and a calling to serve those struggling with addiction. In 1985, Ed moved into the position of addiction counsellor, and two years later was promoted to Assistant to the Executive Director and House Manager of Renascent’s Bayview House. Over the years, Ed oversaw many of Renascent’s treatment centres, including Phillips House, the Punanai Centre, the Sullivan Centre, the women’s residence on Spadina Road and the Walker House. He also oversaw Alumni and Volunteer initiatives, and worked with the fundraising team to organize our annual Renascent Golf Tournaments. In fact, Ed organized the first Renascent Golf Tournament in 1995 and it ran for the first five years with him as the tournament committee chair.
As we look back on Renascent’s 50 years, and the tens of thousands of people helped, Ed Harding has been one of our longest-standing contributors. For anyone who knows Ed, you will know he puts his whole heart into Renascent and the work we do with our clients. He is passionate about sharing the opportunity for abstinence-based 12-step recovery with others, and cares deeply about helping the many men, women, youth and families who come to Renascent suffering from addiction.
Ed shared this: “I am not leaving Renascent any more than I could leave my biological family. One could say I grew up in the warmth and welcoming environment of a loving, family-like atmosphere, of kind-hearted and devoted people, who craved only to provide a haven for the suffering alcoholic. Sick and tired of being sick and tired, people were reaching out to us for something they were lacking. Renascent offered a life-changing program that was to teach them, through the experience, strength, and hope of counsellors, who had walked the same walk, how they too could commence on their own journey in sobriety. Who would not want to be a part of this?”
Thank you Ed Harding for being part of Renascent’s team and mission, and your incredible contribution. Renascent will always be your family.
Interested in saying goodbye?
Please join us for a virtual celebration of Ed’s retirement:
Date: October 30, 2020, 2 p.m.
https://zoom.us/j/98479357616?pwd=V3MzbHl5WnhjRy9qVEdrM0NSYTBLdz09
Meeting ID: 984 7935 7616 Passcode: 767990
