Help for those suffering from the unprecedented flooding in southern Alberta is coming from local residents.
Nichole Harrison and Jean Stewart are two locals collecting donations for flood relief on the Siksika Reserve. They hope to fill a 20-ft. horse trailer with useful items on Sunday, July 7 at the Co-op Mall.
And eight-year-old Tiha Schaedeli, who lives on a farm north of Innisfail, rode her bike from Penhold to Innisfail and back (about 27 kilometres) last Sunday to raise donations for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
As of Friday (June 28) she had raised more than $2,000. But she is still accepting donations until July 5. Those wishing to donate can call her father Darren at 403-505-2909 or make donations directly to the Red Cross.
“Everybody needs help sometimes,” says Harrison. “Let's just help each other. Siksika is a smaller community and they see less (help) than larger communities. In Calgary there are more people to help each other out. They've got a lot of donations already in Calgary, they still need more, but smaller communities need the help even more. Whatever we collect that they don't need in Siksika we will take down the road to High River.”
“I think as Albertans we just need to pull together,” says Stewart. “Let's help everybody and be a big joint community, no matter who it is. It doesn't matter that it's Alberta or any other province, let's just help each other. And we should go big or go home.” She adds that most citizens have too much stuff, stuff in good shape that we no longer use, sand that this is a good way to get rid of it and help others too.
Harrison says, “Some people at Siksika are just camped out, so tents are a priority. Blankets and bedding are needed. I think they are going to get a lot of clothes (although men's XL clothing and maternity clothing are needed) but people forget they're going to need small appliances, cleaning supplies, second-hand fridges, stoves, bug spray is a big one because it's like mosquito heaven right now.
“Also camping supplies, food, household basics, people tend to forget how much condiments cost,” she added. Harrison says they will also take cash donations so she can buy food, diapers or whatever is most needed in bulk.
And donations are coming in. One dentist office donated two boxes of toothbrushes and Harrison's garage is already a temporary home for mattresses, a high chair and bags of goods like garbage bags and nonperishable food items.
Asked why she's doing this Harrison says, “It's going to come back to you eventually. We all need help at one point or another, call it karma. If my house burned down I think it would come back to me.”
She says it's wonderful how people are helping victims of the flood. She heard one story about a rancher who took in 36 horses that needed a temporary home, and then someone else came along with a truckload of hay to feed them.
Anyone is welcome to help load the trailer at the Mall on July 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and volunteers are welcome to help clean up afterwards too. People who want to donate before then can drop off items at First Impressions in the Henday Mall or at the Harrison residence at 4604 – 47 Ave. Call Harrison at 403-348-9067 if you have large items that need to be picked up.
Severe flooding since June 21 forced about 1,000 people from their homes on the Siksika Reserve on the Bow River 100 kilometres east of Calgary. About 7,000 people live on the reserve. Some dwelling areas were covered with more than a metre of water. About 200 homes were evacuated. Many of them are uninhabitable and residents need interim housing.
The reserve's recreation centre has become a shelter for people needing help. Items like baby formula, diapers, towels, blankets and nonperishable food are still in demand.
On a Siksika Reserve website (www.siksikanation.com) there's an appeal for financial donations which can be forwarded to the Siksika Nation Disaster Relief Fund c/o BMO Bank of Montreal, P.O. Box 1429, Siksika, Alberta T0J 3W0
Please see Kerry Towle's column on pg. 19.
