When entrepreneur James Ross delivers his induction speech at the Junior Achievement New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame in October, he will talk about business, success and the importance of giving back. For the last 14 years, the philanthropist and former senator has given back by helping lonely and troubled children, youth and foster kids with his Partners for Youth adventure camps.
But what the soft-spoken Ross may not mention is the poignant driver behind this endeavour. "I had an experience (with) a member of my extended family being a troubled child, and he never did get the proper care he needed," Ross says of his nephew, Gregory. "He really lived an unhappy life and died in his early 40s."
That was five years ago. It was a "heart-breaking" end, says Ross, to an adolescence and adulthood of mental illness, addiction and periodic homelessness. Gregory fell to his death from the second-storey of one of Ross' houses in Fredericton. It was one of the countless times Ross had taken his nephew in, ever since Gregory's father died. Gregory was six at the time. For years, Ross and the boy's mother tried to help. But as Gregory grew into adolescence, the youth Ross recalls as fiercely intelligent with a tender heart grew increasingly detached from what remained of his family.
His nephew's downward spiral left its mark, and it was after leaving the Canadian Senate in 1993 that Ross, who has five children of his own, decided to take action. "I wanted to do a project involving youth, and there was always a gap in terms of children who were not being attended to," says Ross, 69. "And these kids are so noticeable. In a classroom, there are always one or two kids who don't participate; who are lonely; who don't have friends."
He founded Partners for Youth in 1994, starting it with a modest list of backers and a decent chunk of his own money. Over the years, the camp has grown with an ever-expanding list of donors, sponsors and charity events. Located on North Lake – about 100 kilometres west of Fredericton – it is now busting at the seams with a population of 400 kids and a waiting list larger than Ross wants to admit.
Three, five and seven-day camps run throughout the summer, and plans are to expand camp programs to areas around Moncton and Saint John. A great deal of the campers are foster kids and other children and youth are under the care of the province.
According to the Department of Social Development, there are around 1,430 children and youth currently in permanent or temporary care of the province. Dr. Kim Snow of Ryerson University's school of Child and Youth Care says Ross is making a difference. "Adventure-based therapy is very important for youth in care," says Snow. "It helps build confidence, and (they) learn to take appropriate risks – very important, considering their history."
Junior Achievement of New Brunswick president and CEO Connie Woodside, who will welcome Ross and two other inductees into the hall of fame, says Ross' choice of philanthropy is inspiring. "Think of all the kinds of things you could do," says Woodside. "You could do the feel-good kind of work, where you don't have to get your hands dirty, but this is certainly a very diverse group of kids "¦ It's a really different field to get into."
Ross' desire to give back also comes from a keen memory of close family and humble beginnings. Ross' father was a farmer with a small lumber business on the side; his mother, a teacher. With a $5,000 loan from his father, Ross started his first business – Club Cosmopolitan – a nightclub in Fredericton. A short time later, in 1970, Ross Ventures Ltd. – a diverse holding company – was born. Over the next 38 years, he would expand into radio-station ownership, heritage restoration and commercial real estate. Ross Venture's current commercial real estate holdings include over 250,000 square feet of office space in Fredericton, valued at almost $23 million.
Andrew Gaudes, professor of entrepreneurship at the University of New Brunswick, says Ross' drive to "make things happen" both professionally and socially is a trademark of a successful and thoughtful entrepreneur. "They want to fill a need," says Gaudes. "Sometimes it is a product or a service, but a need can also be if someone needs assistance financially or needs time for counselling. They may find it's themselves that can fill that need. The great part about them is the drive, the energy and the networks they have to make it happen."
John Sharpe, general manager for Partners for Youth, says Ross is a hands-on chairman. "He's involved everywhere he wants to be," says Sharpe. "It's not at all unusual for him to give me a call and (want) to drop in."
Young people hold a special place in Ross' heart. One gets the feeling he wishes there was an adventure camp years ago for young Gregory. "I often refer to the 'fork in the road' position in a youth's life¦ and it takes very little to pull them in one direction or another," says Ross. "A little support, trust and motivation can get them off on the right path."
Terry Davidson
26 July 2008
