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About our Founder Jim Crescenzo

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Alfonso James Crescenzo (aka Jimmy, Mr. C.) started this organization with only a desire to help that kid in the corner, that kid sitting by himself in the cafeteria, that kid self-medicating to escape the insanity of his home or that kid so lost, that only a street gang could provide the family structure that was missing in his life. Initially, it was Jim, sitting in a semi-circle, conducting meetings, comforting distraught teens, but always emphasizing the need to be together, to be a community.

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After a 37 year career in education, Jim wanted to continue to serve the community he calls home. Every endeavour, every cause, must have a driving force, and in the East End Boys Club, that unstoppable, never-ending force is Jim Crescenzo. He is not only the Executive Director but personally takes on many other roles, from driver, to counsellor, to mentor, to leader of our community. His very unique hands-on approach ensures that our boys do not fall through the cracks. His firm commitment to seeing the boys succeed and complete a trades training program or post-secondary education are his genuine ambitions for the boys he serves.

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Jim's career has been recognized with numerous honours, including:

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  • 2017 Community Builder Award, Motion Picture Production Industry Association

  • 2016 Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence

  • 2015 Peace Medallion, YMCA of Greater Vancouver.

  • 2015 Award for Faith and Community, City In Focus

  • 2014 Italian-Canadian Man of the Year

  • 2012 Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal

  • 2001 Vancouver School Board Recognition of Outstanding Contribution

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​We are pleased to have working with us, community members who are "champions" in their own right. From world renown boxers and martial artists, to award winning teachers and business people to self-made industrialists, we have the knowledge and connections to inspire our boys to move forward and to seize opportunities that our community is able to provide.

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Jerry Trimble

Actor, Kick Boxing World Champion

Jerry “Golden Boy” Trimble is the former PKA and PKC World Kickboxing Champion of the World who has since been inducted into the Kickboxing Hall of Fame. He is currently a film and TV actor. Jerry is also a Motivational Youth Speaker who empowers teens to get out of their comfort zone, discover their gifts and go after their dreams. Jerry uses his real-life experiences as proof that if an insecure, fearful, bullied teen like he was can make his dreams come true, anyone can.

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Manny Sobral

Teacher, Boxing World Champion

Manny is the former Canadian and IBO Super Welterweight Champion of the World who also represented Canada at the 1988 Olympic Summer Games. He is a former student of Jim Crescenzo’s at Templeton Secondary and now teaches for the Vancouver School Board, where he works with highly at-risk students in their SUMMIT program.

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John Patricelli

Mentor, Real Estate Agent

John has been instrumental in helping build and sustain our Boys Club Programs at Templeton, and John Oliver Secondary schools. He is an admirable mentor as he has overcome many personal adversities and is now a successful businessman and realtor who is in the top 10% of his industry. John is the recipient of the Realtor’s Care Award for 2018, one of only 14,000 realtor’s receives this award annually. He is also the Lead Facilitator for Camp Choice and gives freely of his time to help individuals in recovery. 

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Kevin Torvik

Sergeant, VPD

Kevin is also a Templeton, alumni. His passion for helping our boys is recognized through his commitment to attending our meetings and arranging powerful guest speakers who teach our boys resilience and commitment to goals. Kevin has mentored many EEBC boys who’ve had challenges with the law. His interventions and guidance have been invaluable. Our boys have developed a more positive view of the police in general, as a result of their interactions with Kevin. Kevin truly exemplifies the model of a “neighbourhood cop” through his commitment to establishing a trusting relationship between the force and the boys.

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Phil Moore

Mentor, Realtor

Phil Moore has been a realtor with RE/MAX Central Burnaby for over 30 years and has served as the Immediate Past President of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver for the last 8 years. Phil is also a former policeman for the Vancouver Police Department.

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Tanya Zambrano

Mentor, Drama Teacher

Tanya is a Drama Teacher at Templeton Secondary and is involved in supporting the EEBC theatrical productions as a Production Manager. She is the Lead Mentor for the EEBC Girls group.

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Danny Virtue

Film Producer, Stunt Co-Ordinator

Danny is one of the most influential people in the Film and TV Industry. He was the recipient of the 2016 Motion Picture Production Industry Association Community Builder Award. Danny is President of the Virtue Foundation and is passionate about helping marginalized young people to find solutions to life’s adversities. Danny will be working with EEBC with our Film Industry Job Entry Program. His knowledge of the industry is unparalleled in Canada and through these contacts, Danny can offer the EEBC a virtual phonebook of experts willing to mentor our boys.

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Corin Browne

Film Teacher

Corin has worked with Jim Crescenzo and the Templeton Film Program since 1997. Many of our boys have worked with Corin to produce films that have won top awards in City, Provincial, National and International Festivals. Corin is teaching our Film Program during the school year and taught the Indigenous Film Project Camp.

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Tina Crescenzo

EEBC Co-Founder and Administrator

Tina was a teacher in the Burnaby School District for 30 years, first as a French Immersion teacher and later as a Learning Support teacher, working with children with special needs and Learning Disabilities. Tina is trained at the Master’s level and has thousands of hours of clinical practice. Tina is the author of the Diagnostic Emergent Reading Assessment and Writing Frames for All Learners. She is trained in NARM (Neuro Affective Relational Model) and Neuro-Touch, for healing developmental trauma and in Somatic Experiencing for shock trauma recovery.

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Mike Stack

Director, Dramaturgist

Mike Stack is an award-winning actor, director, writer and theatre educator with over 30 years of experience. He has been including our boys in creating new works and plays which have relevance to our young people. Mike is currently teaching the EEBC Theatre program which runs during the school year and will again head up the Summer Shakespeare Theatre Camp.

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Dave Robinson

Indigenous Carver, Teacher

Dave is leading the Medical Wheel Puzzle Project with our EEBC members. As an indigenous carver and sculptor, Dave brings first-hand expertise to our boys both Indigenous and those from other cultures. We wanted to do our part in addressing the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action by involving our boys in this year-long learning opportunity. 

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Ali Chaudhry

Mentor, Actor

Ali is an actor and also works in the finance industry for the community centred credit union Vancity. He has coached basketball for his community and was a coach at Camp Choice Summer Camps. Ali is a former student of Jim Crescenzo’s Theatre, Film and East End Boys Club programs.

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Mark Curtin

Mentor, Firefighter

Mark Curtin is a North Vancouver firefighter with 11 years of service. His wife is a high school teacher and together they have two children, ages 10 and12.

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Jun Kim

Mentor, Teacher

Jun is a teacher for the Burnaby School District and an award-winning filmmaker. He has a deep connection with community outreach as his parents served over 10 years as missionaries.

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Peter Katsionis

UBC Adjunct Professor

Peter is a retired secondary school history teacher who received the Government of Canada History Award in 2016 and the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2013. Peter pioneered on-line and blended learning in B.C. and has presented papers on using technology in the classroom here and in Atlanta. We are pleased to have Peter as the instructor for our Study Skills and Training for Better Grades Program. Peter brings years of experience to his work and his positive rapport with our boys helps them to stay motivated and engaged in their studies.

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David Katsionis

Registered Clinical Counsellor

David has been working with the boys since January 2018. As a registered therapist and high school teacher, David has extensive experience helping adolescents achieve personal wellness and their academic potential.  

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Kevin Bennet

Theatre Director

Born and raised in Vancouver Canada and based in London UK, Kevin is a theatre director who is proud of his East Van roots. After graduating from Templeton Secondary in 2006 and Langara College’s Studio 58 theatre program in 2009, he got his start as an assistant director for two seasons at Canada’s Stratford Festival. Shortly after his time in Stratford, Kevin began working with Shakespeare’s Globe theatre as an associate director on The Merchant of Venice starring Jonathan Pryce. He currently lives in London where he works as a freelance theatre director and continues to travel the world to direct and teach acting. This past year Shakespeare’s Globe has sent Kevin to the USA, China and India.

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