John Abbott College volunteer passing along his passion for canoeing for more than 42 years

A canoeing class trip at John Abbott College in the early 1980s changed the course of John Mancini's life.

For John Mancini, canoeing is second nature. It’s something he first learned to do as a young boy, but it was a canoeing class trip at John Abbott College in the early 1980s that changed the course of his life.

He credits his teacher at the time, Doug Anakin, for inspiring him.

“I had such a great time,” he said. “And I asked him; do you ever need help for these trips? And he said, yes, of course. Well, I said, call me up! And sure enough, the next semester the phone rang, and that was 42 years ago.”

Since then, Mancini, who works as a general contractor by day, has accompanied students in the wilderness, showing them the strokes of canoeing and sharing his love of the outdoors, for more than 42 years, and well over 100 weekend trips.

“Getting out there and giving back and sharing with the students what I’ve learned through this program, through some of the teachers. It’s a big thrill for me.” he said.

While he’s never been paid, there have been some payoffs as an assistant. It’s where he met his fellow assistant who would become his future wife. They married 25 years ago, and have three sons, who have accompanied him on many of the trips.

“You’d hear some of the college students struggling on the portages,” he said. “And it’s a tough slog. And then I overheard the conversation a couple of times, the kids, the students, would look at each other, and go, if the 10-year-old can do it, we should be able to do it.”

Sass Ghinani, who teaches canoe/camping at John Abbott College, said Mancini isn’t just instructing students, he’s passing along a wealth of knowledge to teachers too.

“He’s worked harder on this program for a longer period of time than any teacher. There’s no teacher that’s been at John Abbott teaching these courses as long as he has,” he said.

Mancini has also helped recruit future assistants for the program, which has helped keep it afloat.

“He’s already inspired the next generation. And the one after that,” said Ghinani. “ He’s going on his third generation of inspiration right now.”

As a way to say thanks to Mancini, John Abbott College’s Outdoor Education department created an award in his honour, which is given to assistants who go above and beyond. Mancini said it came as a surprise to him, but it’s meaningful that his plaque is on the same wall as a photo of Doug Anakin, the teacher who started the Outdoor Education program 50 years ago and has since passed away.

“To be up there on the wall with the guy who changed my life … is very special,” he said.

Mancini said at 42 years of volunteering he has no plans on stopping.

“As long as I can carry a canoe, I’m going to keep doing this,” he said.

“I definitely want to make it to 50.”