Marie Slark
“Never open any more institutions. And if your kid has a disability, don't send them to an institution like that. There are other ways to get them help. They don't need to be put away.”
Born on January 31st, 1954, Marie Slark is a survivor of the Huronia Regional Centre. She spent 9 years there, but was officially discharged 13 years later at age 20. Marie is now enjoying retirement at age 68 where she lives with her sister, Antoinette Charlebois, their 2 cats and 1 dog. Marie enjoys knitting and crocheting, often making hats and scarfs to donate to victims of domestic abuse. She has also made over 100 rosaries which are donated to a local church. Marie is interested in travelling to Rome sometime soon.
Interviewed and Produced by TL Sutherland
My name is TL Sutherland. I am currently in grade 10 and have aspirations of attending UBC or Waterloo for software engineering sometime in the future. I use they/them pronouns and am also saving up to transition once I graduate high school. I play instruments inside and outside of school and way too many video games which often leads to me procrastinating. That aside, I hope you enjoy this short interview with Marie Slark.
About this project
Our Neighbours' Stories is a collection of living memories told by seniors living in North York and recorded by youth in and around Toronto. Each story is unique and its interpretation is centred by the young person producing it. From hours of interviews they have constructed the story that most spoke to them. In listening to the stories, we encourage you to also think about what the life lessons mean to you. Our Neighbours' Stories is a pilot project launched by the Caring Community Challenge. The original program was designed by Post Bellum in the Czech Republic. Explore our site beyond the stories to learn more.
If Our Neighbours' Stories inspires you to learn more about the life of seniors in your community, get in touch and add to the collection. Every story matters. Every life is precious. Let's keep growing the collection together.