Featured Volunteer: Michael Doyle Cluett

Halifax, Nova Scotia

23 Years Old

Canada: Education, Community & Culture

Genuine Progress Indicator For Atlantic Canada (GPI Atlantic)

The People's Potato Soup Kitchen

Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC)

As told by Cathy Martin, a close family friend.

The first thing that comes to mind is his energy. He has so much compassion and spirit. I don't know if that's amazing, but he brightens up the room and makes people happy.

As a grassroots activist, he's met with youth from all over the world. He didn't just take a trip and move on, he built on those experiences and went forward. I think he's a leader wherever he goes. I know that with his ACIC experience he was first a participant and then became an organizer. I think that's pretty amazing.

He is very positive, genuine and warm. The fact that he can be so positive is a very redeeming quality. The path he chose seems to be that he chose the high road. He easily could have chosen another route. And I'm sure he's had times when he's gone off the beaten track in good ways and in bad ways. With all the experiences he's had and living life in general, he could have taken a route that wouldn't have been good, but he seemed to take all these different experiences and make something positive for himself for his community. That to me is a special gift.

In the First Nations community we need good stories. We need to feel good stories and feel good people. We need role models and people who inspire. Michael has the qualities of a leader but he is also very humble when he needs to be. I think he could be a great inspiration to our youth. They need to know about Michael.

He has seen tragedy and situations beyond his control. Michael has lost a lot of friends and relatives that were around his age. His close cousin died in a car accident. To overcome all that sadness and work through it all has made him a very strong individual. It has made him embrace life and want to help others. He developed a great sense of compassion and leadership--both qualities he's putting to use with his volunteer work at ACIC and with his youth work with GPI Atlantic.

 

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