A young volunteer helping families in Alberta

Topics: National, Emergencies and Disasters in Canada
July 11, 2013

On June 21, at 10 a.m, 14 year-old Alyssa looked out of her classroom window in High River to see flood waters rising over the football fields. Alyssa and her classmates sat in disbelief, instructed to remain calm, as administrators decided on a site of evacuation.

After first being ushered to a nearby high school where they stood in a growing crowd of people, students were then told to go home to find their parents.

Returning home to her father’s trailer park in High Wood Heritage Estates, Alyssa was relieved to find her father home from work. Within minutes, the park tenant came by their door, and warned them they would need to pack up their belongings as quickly as possible—High River was flooding.

As they attempted to evacuate High River, Alyssa’s father noted that the water was rising rapidly.

“I was so scared. At this point, we were walking through a small lake,” Alyssa said. “I was completely in shock.”

Shortly after, Alyssa and her father were picked up by a combine that was driving through the fields. Alyssa saw cars entirely submerged in water, people on rooftops of their homes or trapped in their cars, and helicopters circling the city.

After being reunited with her mother, Maria, in an evacuation centre in the nearby community of Blackie, Alyssa was relieved to find family members reconnecting with neighbours and pets. Red Cross staff began handing out blankets and cots, helping evacuees adjust to their temporary environment.

Despite staying at her mother’s house in Blackie over the weekend, Alyssa continued to return to the shelter to help with distributing Red Cross supplies, and try to raise people’s moods.

“People here have lost everything. I continued to help at the centre because there is nothing better than making someone else feel better.”

Alyssa is grateful for the Red Cross presence, as the team of volunteers and staff work around-the-clock, to provide services and supplies to evacuees.

“Red Cross has helped a lot,” said Alyssa. “They have been encouraging people in a way that assures them everything will be looked after and everything will be okay.”

Alyssa remains grateful that her family is safe, and hopeful that the community will be able to rebuild and support one another throughout the rebuilding process ahead of them.

“it’s not going to be a quick process, and things will never be the same again, but in High River, everybody is there for each other.”

To help with our efforts, please donate to the Alberta Floods fund.  
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