As the evacuation alert was issued, I raced home from work to gather as many personal items as I could. When I arrived, firefighters were already going door-to-door telling residents to evacuate. With just minutes to pack a few belongings, I left my home not knowing whether it was safe from the fires, or when I would be back.
As I slowly made my way south, I was horrified and saddened to see my city on fire. The abandoned vehicles, burning buildings, water-bombers, helicopters and remnants of burned trees were shocking. Thankfully, my husband and I had a safe place to go—my sister’s in southern Alberta. Many of the city’s evacuees ended up in shelters. Compared to many, we were the lucky ones. As it turned out, it was Canada’s largest recorded evacuation due to a wildfire in our history.
In the days following the evacuation, I was glued to all the media coverage and reports. The devastation continued to spread across northern Alberta and into Saskatchewan for the next two months, consuming approximately 1.5 million acres in total. The support and generosity that poured in from all over the world was staggering. From donations of money, gas, water, food, shelter, clothing and so much more, everyone wanted to help. But it was one small gesture that helped my family get back to what was important.
Mine was one of hundreds of Fort McMurray families who lost everything that day. Most things we knew we could replace—beds, dishes, clothes. But in the chaos of evacuating, I left behind my craft supplies, quilts and sewing machine. Naturally, I was overwhelmed and distressed over being displaced; not knowing when I’d be able to quilt again made me even more upset. But while the fire stole my materials, it couldn’t touch my love for quilting.
I knew I needed some sense of normalcy to get through the trying months ahead, which is what inspired me to contact the online company Craftsy. I had no clue where to start, so I used the “live chat” feature and was connected with a woman named Lizzy. After explaining my situation, I simply asked if the company would consider replacing or reselling me the quilting items I’d recently purchased at cost to help me return to my favourite hobby. Little did I know, Lizzy and Craftsy had something bigger in mind.
Just after I returned to Fort McMurray, about a month after the fires, Lizzy surprised me with the news that Craftsy was sending care packages with quilting supplies to help me rebuild my crafting studio. A few weeks later, I received two boxes packed full of everything from a rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler to thread, ribbon and two quilting kits. The cherry on top was the Janome MC 8200 sewing machine—a top-of-the-line machine courtesy of Janome Canada. What more could I want? I had everything I needed to return to my hobby, and I was officially back in quilting heaven!
As I continued to adjust to the “new normal” waiting to rebuild our home, Craftsy’s generosity left an indelible impact on my life, and it couldn’t have come at a more meaningful time. After everything we had been through, Craftsy gave me a reason to laugh again. I look forward to creating new projects and many years of happiness ahead because of Craftsy’s charitable spirit. I’m now using the machine to make one of the quilt kits. Every time I use it, see it or even talk about it, my heart swells with happiness. While my life rebuilds around me, quilting helps keep me smiling and focused on what’s important. “The Beast” tried to take everything that day, but it can never take quilting away from me. I thank Craftsy and Janome for helping me get back to what I love.
—by Eldora Baillie, Fort McMurray, Alberta
Born to Help
Therapy dogs are a priceless community gift
An “old soul” with endless love to give—that is how I always described my beautiful golden retriever, Maya. Given her calm demeanour and loving personality, I’d always envisioned Maya as a therapy dog. At seven years of age, after a lengthy application process, she achieved this status with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog program. This program brings comfort, joy and companionship to many, including the sick, lonely or those residing in full-time care facilities.
Clients reap the therapeutic benefits of the unconditional love they receive from these amazing animals. Dogs are nonjudgemental, undeterred by human frailties and accepting of physical and mental illness. They have a calming influence, which is wonderful.
A regular visitation program can be implemented in many places, including long-term care facilities, palliative care, children’s health centres, mental health care facilities, schools and more—basically any setting that would benefit from the unconditional love of a dog.
The residents of the facility where Maya and I visited weekly accepted and welcomed us with open arms. They looked forward to seeing Maya, a reminder of days gone by when they had pets of their own to love and cherish. Maya would proudly walk from one room to the next, tail wagging, always eager to greet the next person. Each resident she approached was more than willing to shower her with undivided attention and affection. In return, Maya’s calming presence brought them undeniable happiness.
One resident in particular proudly displays Maya’s picture in her room, beaming with joy during our visits. She would wait at the entrance to her room, exclaiming enthusiastically as we approached, “I’ve been waiting for you, Maya!”
During her first visit, Maya was interacting with a wheelchair-restricted resident who hadn’t spoken for quite some time. Maya solemnly stood alongside the wheelchair. The woman’s unsteady hand came to rest on Maya’s head and I watched a smile slowly spread across her face and a light begin to shine in her eyes. I listened as she spoke for the first time in months; she said “Maya.” I knew then that my precious golden retriever had truly found her calling in life.
At only eight years of age, unfortunately Maya was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. She fought a brief but extremely courageous battle, remaining stoic and giving of herself until the very end. Only days before her diagnosis, Maya was visiting students at our community college during exam week to help alleviate their stress.
Maya’s role as a therapy dog may have been short-lived, but the impact she had on everyone she met was immeasurable. This is the truest testament to her legacy.
St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog volunteers and their pets continue to proudly serve communities throughout Canada. These individuals and their incredible dogs exemplify the priceless gift of volunteerism.
—by Janice Murphy, Hamilton, Ontario
A Lasting Legacy
A “champ” in every sense of the word, young Kamryn will always remember Canada’s veterans
It might sound unusual for a six-year-old girl to lay a wreath at a Remembrance Day ceremony, but for our daughter, Kamryn, it’s part of a legacy that goes back nearly 100 years.
When Kamryn was 11 months old, she was hospitalized with upper respiratory concerns. As a result of her illness, and a long-fought battle that saw her spending a week on life support, she had to undergo amputation surgery, losing both legs, her right hand and several fingers on her left hand. Our lives and Kamryn’s were forever changed and the future was uncertain. We were left with so many unanswered questions and did not know where to turn.
While our daughter was in the hospital, a physiotherapist met with us and discussed Kamryn’s future and provided hope about the many possibilities that would be available to her as an amputee. The most powerful words she said that day were, “One thing I can tell you is that Kamryn will walk. I don’t know when, but she will.” This is also when we first learned about The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program. We were welcomed into The War Amps and they have become our extended family.
The War Amps was started by war-amputee veterans returning from the First World War. They later created the CHAMP Program to help child amputees. The War Amps has provided Kamryn with financial assistance for different artificial limbs, including those for walking and swimming, and a tumbling arm that she uses for gymnastics. We also get to attend CHAMP seminars, where we learn about the different types of artificial limbs and devices that are available, and how to deal with issues like teasing and bullying.
> It has been a tradition for Kamryn to lay a wreath on behalf of The War Amps at our local Remembrance Day ceremony in Grande Prairie, Alberta, with Shannon Krasowski, a graduate of the CHAMP Program and a fellow leg amputee. Shannon has been able to explain the importance of honouring our veterans to Kamryn. She has shared personal stories of how she has met war-amputee veterans and heard their first-hand accounts of the devastation and destruction of war.
As a young Champ, Shannon was given a lion statue by a war-amputee veteran for her courage. Recently, she passed this statue down to Kamryn to recognize hers. Someday, Kamryn will pass it along to another young amputee who looks up to her.
We believe that laying a wreath is building the foundation for Kamryn to understand how much our war veterans gave up for our freedom and how the CHAMP Program would not exist if it was not for them. Kamryn shares a special bond with war-amputee veterans because she understands what it’s like to be an amputee, and as our war veterans age, it is even more important for young people like her to pass on the Remembrance message to ensure that we never forget their sacrifices.
As Kamryn’s parents, we cannot express enough how The War Amps has changed our lives. We will always be appreciative of the work of the war-amputee veterans and the legacy they have left for child amputees like Kamryn. It is for this reason that she lays a wreath every year in their honour and will do so for many years to come.
—by Dale and Allan Bond, Grande Prairie, Alberta
Saving Our Shorelines
A national effort to keep Canadian shores clean and safe for humans and animals alike
I discovered the true value of volunteering in environmental conservation while doing field research at a remote island in the Haida Gwaii region of British Columbia during the summer of 2001. As a research assistant for a local conservation society, I helped monitor the activity of cavity-nesting birds, participated in boat surveys of seabirds and visited gull colonies to count nests. It was an experience I will always remember: It’s when I first realized how volunteering can benefit our natural world.
Now, years later, I manage the Vancouver Aquarium and the World Wildlife Fund’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, a national initiative that engages volunteers across the country to clean up our shorelines. Presented by Loblaw Companies Limited, the program also collects vital data used to increase public awareness about the impacts of shoreline litter. Picking up trash might not sound glamorous, but it’s meaningful work. At the end of the day, you know you’ve made a difference in your local community and on a national scale.
The results of a cleanup are dramatic. You don’t tend to notice the impact you’re having until the moment you’re done: There’s always an immediate sense of pride as you gaze upon a newly transformed shoreline. The Shoreline Cleanup shows change is possible through individual actions. It goes even further, though, highlighting how individual behaviour affects aquatic environments. With the help of more than 55,000 volunteers who participate in the program annually, thousands upon thousands of items have been removed from Canadian shorelines.
Perhaps the best part of working with the Shoreline Cleanup is the opportunity to speak with volunteers and share in their passion for community stewardship. One of my favourite stories is about a trio of siblings from Oakville, Ontario. Jack, Julie and Emma are active youth volunteers who are passionate about environmental and social issues.
They give back to their community through various social change projects and help protect the environment by organizing shoreline cleanups. They inspire members of their community to become active citizens and demonstrate how everyone, no matter what age, can make a difference.
Cleanup teams frequently tell me just how much fun they’ve had on the shorelines, and they love to report back on some of their unusual finds. If you can think of it, it’s been found during a shoreline cleanup, including the proverbial kitchen sink. Some of the more unusual finds have included a wedding dress, a gold ring, Christmas decorations, false teeth, a lava lamp, clothing and even an Elvis costume! Yet after each cleanup, it isn’t these strange and unusual items that remain in my mind—it is all the small bits of trash that may not be obvious at a quick glance.
It can be frustrating to see how much of our litter ends up on shorelines, especially when many items found are often recyclable or have reusable alternatives. Be they plastic bottle caps, cigarette butts, fragments of chip bags or a part of a plastic fork, these small pieces are everywhere: under benches, near curbs, along lakeside trails. They are difficult to clean up on a regular basis and are just one of the reasons why shoreline cleanups matter.
In a typical year, more than 57,000 Canadians volunteer to clean about 3,035 kilometres of shorelines—roughly the length of the St. Lawrence River. They collect more than 99,000 kilograms of litter, the approximate weight of 22 large school buses. If you think that amount of weight sounds staggering, from 1994 to 2017, the Shoreline Cleanup picked up approximately 1.2 million kilograms of shoreline litter—approximately 259 school buses’ worth.
When the data comes in each year, I look forward to seeing what was found, but I’m also excited at the knowledge that, with every cleanup, volunteers from coast to coast are showing we can make a difference. If we refuse a straw, choose reusable alternatives to disposable items and look for creative ways to minimize waste, then less litter will find its way to our shorelines.
It’s a terrific feeling to be part of a movement that works together for a common goal. We’re working towards cleaner waterways for everyone, including the wildlife and people that depend on them.
—by Susan Debreceni, Toronto, Ontario
Curling for a Cure
For the past 20 years, the “Hope Classic”has been raising funds to fight breast cancer—and raising community spirit, too!
D iane calls down the sheet to Sydney, “Nice shot, Syd!” who just smiles, waves to her skip and steps to the side to await her next throw. As she waits, she watches as women are yelling encouragement to their brushers on the other sheets. They are all smiling and laughing. The sound of brooms against the ice and rocks crashing together in the house are mixed with the heavy bass rhythm from the DJ in the dining area. Despite the friendly on-ice competition and fun-loving nature present in the club, everyone is here for a very serious cause.
Diane and Sydney are two of more than 250 women from across northwestern Ontario who gathered together at the Fort William Curling Club on a cold, snowy weekend in Thunder Bay at the Bearskin Airlines Hope Classic to raise money to fight breast cancer. Recently, they marked the 21st year of not only raising money but also providing the women in attendance with a relaxed, fun and supportive environment to share laughter, stories and tears. For all those involved, the event is about renewing long-lasting friendships or creating new ones, all while supporting one another in the fight against breast cancer.
The idea for the event began when Linda Buchan, who had undergone breast cancer treatment, was approached about starting a women’s bonspiel to raise money for the Breast Cancer Support Group. Linda contacted Cliff Friesen, the co-owner of Bearskin Airlines, about supporting the idea. Cliff, whose daughter had also just undergone breast cancer surgery and treatment, was very supportive, enabling the first annual Bearskin Airlines Hope Classic to take place at the Fort William Curling Club in 1997.
Linda passed away in December of 2002, just before the seventh annual Hope Classic event, and although it was extremely difficult for the organizing committee, they all agreed to carry on with Linda’s dream. The event has grown into one of the most popular women’s bonspiels in Thunder Bay, and now Sydney—Linda’s granddaughter —along with the organizing committee and women from across northwestern Ontario, continue to make a difference and honour Linda’s memory.
As she comes into the club, Sydney walks into a sea of pink. Pink wigs, signs, decorations and clothing are everywhere. This event is special because you don’t have to be an experienced curler to participate. This is only Sydney�
��s third year as a participant. Sure, there are teams that have been curling for years, but the majority of women come to support the cause, not to compete. Everyone is invited to participate; experience is not required. Someone will help you out, or, in some cases, help you up. Participants come to support their family, friends and communities. All of the money raised at the “Hope” stays in Thunder Bay to support the specialized care at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Since that first event more than two decades ago, the women participants continue to be supported by friends, relatives, acquaintances and businesses in their effort to raise money. The women, and all those who support them, are passionate about it because so many of them know someone—a friend or family member—who has been affected by breast cancer. That’s why the women of northwestern Ontario plan to continue to gather at the Fort William Curling Club on the first weekend of every February, to support one another and the fight against breast cancer. The generosity of their various communities never fails to amaze and inspire. In the space of 20 years, the Hope Classic has raised $2.87 million, ensuring that women in northwestern Ontario have access to exceptional screening, assessment and support services close to home and family.
Planning is well under way to ensure that the annual event continues the tradition of fun and support for all those in attendance. Each year’s goal is to reunite with friends, share some inspiring stories and hopefully raise enough money to help all those touched by breast cancer.
—by Jayson Childs, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Helping Blanding’s Turtles
Volunteers donate their time to keep this endangered species safe
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