New connections forged through compassion in Sault Ste. Marie

For a moment, it almost looked like the final day of summer camp.

After more than two weeks of shared meals, activities, and movie nights, nearly 100 members of Spirit Lake First Nation left a temporary home to return to their community.

There was a furious rush of activity at a hotel in Sault Ste. Marie earlier this month as the Canadian Red Cross helped to load buses and check registration lists to ensure no one missed the flight.

“We were working with (Spirit Lake) like we were family,” says Emergency Management coordinator and operations lead Jenni McDonald, who watched volunteers and staff put names on bags and made sure purses and strollers were not left behind.

McDonald’s eyes welled with tears as children and families boarded the buses waving goodbye while shouting “we love you” to Red Cross volunteers, staff, and community partners.

“We made an impression, and so did they,” says McDonald.

Departure day at the Water Tower Inn was not the end of summer camp, it was the end of a stressful time for dozens of people who were evacuated from their homes in Northwestern Ontario in late July with wildfires raging nearby.

At the request of the city of Sault Ste. Marie, a highly qualified team of Red Cross personnel provided registration and personal services support to members of Spirit Lake First Nation.


“They came not knowing if their homes were going to be destroyed and not knowing about their pets,” says McDonald. “We helped them feel like this was their home and whatever they needed we were there to support them.”

“Everyone understood that this was worrisome for the evacuees and wanted them to feel comfortable and even distract a little bit from the worry and the fear,” says Mara DeFazio, senior manager of Operations for SSM and District Branch and Coast of James Bay.


DeFazio and McDonald were part of a more than 20-person Red Cross team that collaborated with multiple teams from the city of Sault Ste. Marie to try and make a difficult situation a little easier.
It worked.

The Chief of Spirit Lake First Nation told McDonald that all partners involved in the effort helped make “my people feel like (Sault Ste. Marie) is their second home...it’s the best treatment that they’ve ever had.”

For 15 days, the Red Cross helped provide members of Spirit Lake First Nation with essentials like toiletries, clothing, medicine, and diapers. When requests came in for items not readily available, the team worked to track down items like back scratchers, baby bottle cleaning brushes, and even a pair of Crocs.

That support helped create trust and mutual respect.

“When people come into a situation like this, it’s difficult in the beginning to make connections. People are guarded, people are fearful,” says DeFazio.

Eventually, as members of Spirit Lake First Nation became more comfortable, they started opening up to Red Cross personnel.

“You’re making sure their needs are met and you’re making friendships,” says McDonald.

“It comes to our mission, or vision, our values, and our core principals,” DeFazio insists. “I truly feel that people pick up on that. You learn by seeing others around us. When we as a team interact so well, it makes people more at ease and comfortable. We genuinely wanted to help. That’s a positive energy that people feel and respond to. We are there and we are visible and when asked for something, we responded.”

Their efforts did not go unnoticed.

"It was an exceptional project with a tremendous amount of community collaboration and the team that worked on this succeeded 1,000 per cent,” said Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano, who delivered an emotional thank you message to the Red Cross and other community partners during a recent city council meeting.

“I want to recognize that work and I want to thank them deeply for that as the mayor...a job exceptionally well done to everybody who participated. You have our collective gratitude for doing a great job.”

McDonald believes the success of the operation is due to the exceptional partnership with the extremely talented teams from Sault Ste. Marie and the implementation of a “One Red Cross” approach.

“We all did everything. Everybody stepped up. Everyone was willing and able.”

From members of the on-site team who went above and beyond, to volunteers and staff who took on new tasks and duties, to those who were reassigned to maintain regular programs, daily support from leadership and the Provincial Disaster Coordination team, employees working in People Services, Logistics, Systems, Finance, and more, McDonald says the response would not have worked as well “without their support and patience.”
It was a true team effort.

“I’m very, very, proud of my team because they are wonderful people,” says McDonald. “They are the type of people who will step up any time of day and help anybody. That’s why they do what they do because they already come with that intrinsic ability to think on the fly and learn and to assist. That’s what they live and breathe. It’s very heartwarming to know that others have seen the team in the light that they shine.”

“Honoured, our entire team was honoured that our community was able to support,” says DeFazio. “It’s an honour to be able to give back.”


All those involved in the operation may have also played a role in inspiring the next generation of helpers.
As Red Cross personnel helped to load up the buses on the final day at the hotel, a young girl, maybe eight years old, approached and exclaimed, “I’ll hold the door.”

“You know what, that’s perfect," said DeFazio. "She helped by pushing the button (to automatically open the door) every time we came in and came out, so we didn’t have to struggle.”

The child reminded De Fazio that “together, we can do anything. It doesn’t matter your skills, your levels, your abilities, there’s room at the table for everyone.”

“She helped. She helped the community, she helped the volunteers, and we encourage that. Everybody on the same page, everybody working together.”

The girl’s parents watched on, beaming with pride.
 

The Red Cross was pleased to work alongside @CitySSM and local partners to support community members from North Spirit Lake First Nation who had to evacuate due to wildfires. https://t.co/4QhgyNm19Z

— Red Cross Ontario (@RedCrossOntario) August 10, 2021