Plaque recognizes outspoken Desbarats resident (10 photos)

Visitors to the St. Joseph Island Medical Clinic will notice a plaque, dedicated to an area resident has been installed outside the clinic's main door.

A small and intimate group gathered recently to witness the installation of the small plaque by the Matthews Memorial Hospital Association (MMHA). In the lobby of BridgeLink Medical Centre were members of the Hopkins family, the community and five members of the hospital association.

It was no ordinary plaque. The occasion was to recognize an initiative brought forward by Desbarats resident, Kelly Hopkins.

MMHA Chair, Lavera Crack said for whatever reason, the board allowed a wheelchair accessible button to be installed on the outside door, stranding a person on the inside door.

"When Kelly finally brought it to our attention, we realized the stupidity," Crack said.  

The hospital association is a fundraising, charitable organization who does not receive government funding.  

"We fundraised and had some moneys and were able to install the automatic door," she said. "We asked the family what they would like on the plaque. ‘Tap the button and think of our Papa, Kelly Hopkins.’ Kelly never got a chance to push the button. So, we're asking his family to do it."

All eyes were on Albert Crowder, chair of the BridgeLink Community Properties who is also in charge of building and maintenance, install the plaque. Crowder is also Vice Chair of MMHA.

Once installed Kelly's wife, Marlee Hopkins, along with daughter-in-law, Shelly Hopkins, and Shelly's two children Holden (4) and Isla (2) were the first to tap the button opening the doctor's office.

In an interview following the dedication, Marlee chuckled, agreeing that her husband was a man who spoke his mind.

At the January 2017 MMHA Annual General Meeting, Kelly brought to the board's attention not only his limitation, but that of others. He told the board how the absence of an automatic door opener restricted him and his wheelchair from entering the medical clinic.

The association vowed to follow through with his concern. Kelly's idea came to fruition and the button was installed mid-summer.  

"It took a while to get it installed, but it doesn't happen overnight," Marlee said who is also a member of MMHA. "And now it's here for everyone to use."

Kelly passed away May 12, 2017. The recognition was an emotional moment for Marlee and her family.

"It means a lot," Marlee said. "Kelly was community-minded, he liked to keep things local,” she said, adding with all Kelly's medical problems, they could have had a doctor in Sault Ste. Marie, but didn't.

"We like our community and the North Shore," she said. "Kelly would have been happy to see it come together."

The Medical Clinic was not the first building Kelly raised accessibility concerns over.

Canada Post in Desbarats now also has an automatic door button within its building. When the automatic door buttons were installed, Marlee said, only one was installed on the outside of the building, allowing users to access mailboxes only.

"But he couldn't get into the counter to send a letter, pick up or send a parcel, so we had to go through the Member of Parliament Bryan Hayes so Kelly and others could have access," Marlee said adding it amazes her how many people are using it.

"Until you go through a challenge yourself, you can only think what people are going through. Until you are in that situation, you don't."

The door was not the only issue Kelly had with the doctor's office.

"He always use to say, ‘Wheelchairs and carpets do not belong together’,” she chuckled. "That was one of his pet peeves." In 2016, carpeting was removed from the waiting area.

Before his death, Kelly could gain access to the building but would have to rely on Marlee to walk ahead of him to open the door to the doctor's office or wait in the lobby for her to return.

Kelly didn't like bothering people, he preferred that little bit of independence.

“I think that button represents independence for someone in a wheelchair," she said. "Simply push a button and get somewhere on their own rather wait for a stranger to walk up and hope they'll help them."

As everyone was gathering, young Holden told Papa Gord (Hawdon) to use the ramp, the same one Papa Kelly did.

With Isla in arms, Hawdon walked the ramp to the medical centre in memory of Kelly.