Dr Julien’s Guignolée raises 1.3 million

(Montreal) Despite the freezing rain and the wind, the big day of the 19^e Guignolée du D^r Julien collected at least 1.3 million in donations on Saturday in Montreal.

“It’s more than usual”, rejoiced the D^r Gilles Julien in a telephone interview on Sunday. Last year the launch day turned in 1.1 million. “Every year for 19 years, it’s been like that, growing,” he explained.

This number could grow even further, as the 39 community social pediatrics centers sponsored by the Fondation du D^r Julien outside the metropolis have not yet finished counting the amount of donations they have collected. In addition, several visitors gave toys as gifts.

However, Saturday had promised to be “stressful”, as the unattractive weather cast a dark cloud over the various activities planned, such as “we could not get people inside” because of the measures. sanitary facilities.

For its face-to-face return, the foundation has put back on the ice its traditional game of boot hockey with the children of the La Ruelle d’Hochelaga center. In several places in the city, musicians, fire eaters and even Santa Claus gathered, while visitors could taste sugar shack products.

“People came, but not many […] not as much as we would have hoped, ”said the D^r Julian. At the time of the events, he did not yet know that the volunteers stationed on several street corners were receiving many donations. Also, “people have greatly preferred to give over the internet” rather than brave the rain.

The Guignolée du D^r Julien will take place until January 15, to fund 42 community social pediatric centers.

In the first line

This practice brings together a range of stakeholders Doctors, psychotherapists, social workers, legal specialists, etc. – who work together to meet the needs of more than 10,000 children in difficulty.

They can thus “detect the most vulnerable children” and “make diagnoses”, but also offer “a support service for families”, all “without judgment”, indicated the D^r Julien, insisting on the fact that the goal is to work in cooperation with the community and to prevent placements in foster families.

In its report last April, the Laurent commission on children’s rights recommended “to act in prevention, first and foremost”, in particular by supporting parents, he recalled.

In Quebec, “our systems are outdated,” said D^r Julien, so we take care of the children who fall between two chairs ”. He cited the example of a child who does not speak at 3 years old, and who could wait until he is 5 years old before seeing a specialist in the public network.

“We are on the front line, which relieves the DPJ [Direction de la protection de la jeunesse] and hospitals. ”

This article has been produced with the financial support of the Facebook Stock Exchanges and The Canadian Press for News.