On November 10, 2009, Asher Webb passed away. This week Ethan Cabel has a good article and additional blog post at the Uniter about him.
I knew Asher for about four years through my job as the manager of a Member of Parliament's office in Osborne Village. When I began my job, Asher spent a lot of time with me showing me around the Village and introduce me to many of the people and places that I would get to know almost too well in the coming years.
A phrase often heard in the office was "Uh-oh, here comes Asher !". Sure enough, Asher would come marching through the parking lot at double speed, hair bobbing behind him, and a wad of papers tucked under his arm. He was always advocating for the community.
One day it would be the state of federal funding for the Osborne Village Resource Centre. Another, it would be for a local refugee or immigrant family that had fallen through the cracks. Other times, it would be to get the boss' take on international AIDS funding.
I will always remember the massive amount of work Asher did around Canada Day. If you've ever enjoyed time in the Village on a Canada Day weekend you really have him to thank for that.
Given the feds' involvement and the proximity to Stradbrook and Osborne, our office would double as a storage area, info clearing house, and green room for much of that weekend. For the kick-off event at the Bell Tower, Asher would have everything planned down to the second with detailed instructions about where to be and when. Everyone worked for Asher on Canada Day, even the Minister of Foreign Affairs!
I was saddened to hear about Asher's death. My wishes go out to his family and loved ones. He was a genuinely caring person and quite the character. Winnipeg is emptier for having lost him.
1 comment:
Thanks for this. It's great to see him remembered by so many different people.
- Meghan Azad (Asher's niece)
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