By Seth DuChene
with photography by Kat Kopiak
More often than not, an individual’s success requires at least a little help along the way — from family, from friends and, sometimes, from other sources. Lindsey Belch knows that on her own personal journey, she’s been the beneficiary of a rock-solid support network. That’s undoubtedly a factor in why she’s now trying to be a part of others’ support systems in the work she’s been doing for more than three decades.
Since 1992, Lindsey has worked with Girls Inc. of Limestone, Algonquin and Lakeshore (previously Big Sisters of Kingston), mainly as its chief executive officer. Over that time, she has endeavoured to make it a resource that girls and women could count on — through innovative educational programming and mentorship — to help them overcome whatever obstacles life had thrown their way. Lindsey credits the support system that she enjoyed in the past for at least partly igniting her own desire to help others reach their own personal goals.
“Growing up, I had great, amazing and supportive parents,” she says. Born and raised in Belleville, her father, Clifford (better known by many as Sonny), worked as the city’s recreation director, a fact that afforded Lindsey fantastic (and fun) opportunities when she was young — not the least of which was free roller skating. “My father was always very kind and humble, and community-focused . . .