General (Page 4)

There’s no doubt 2016 was a challenging year for many people who experienced disasters such as the Alberta fires and Hurricane Matthew, or who fled their home as a result of armed conflict.

​We want to cap off the year by sharing some of the most inspiring and heartwarming Red Cross stories from 2016 to show humanity at its best. What inspired you this year?

Did you know you can find lots of gift ideas online through Shop Red Cross? Instead of buying your brother yet another ugly Christmas sweater, why not give him an emergency preparedness kit with essential items in case of a disaster.

Think of it as a way of showing how much you care about him and his family. It’s also reassuring to know they will be ready in an emergency.

Last week, I had the privilege of emceeing and providing a youth perspective at the 2016 Canadian Partnership for Women & Children’s Health (CanWaCH) Conference. The conference, held in partnership with McGill University’s Public Policy and Population Health Observatory and Institute for Health and Social Policy (IHSP), drew an audience that was as diverse as it was passionate.

When Peter Derban visited the Red Cross office in Fort McMurray, he shared a poem written about his experiences during the Alberta fires. Through his poetry, he is sure to give credit where credit is due.
 
‘Fire department in Fort Mac like angels work hard, all day and night.
They are tired, won’t give up. Evil flames they fight, nonstop.”

Love was in the air last week at the Canadian Red Cross office in Fort McMurray. Red Cross caseworker Tiffany Whitford thought her boyfriend Adam Nicholson and their two children Lola and Maddix were stopping by the office to drop off her lunch.

Earlier this summer in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, I participated in Exploring Humanitarian Law educator training, a program. This free session is sponsored by the Canadian Red Cross with support from Global Affairs Canada, and introduced us to an education program that’s designed to help students aged 13 to 18 learn about humanitarian action, international law and justice. 

The Fort McMurray area is home to almost 90,000 people. Each of them has their own experience and story after May’s wildfires tore through the region. That’s why Red Cross case workers continue to meet with families and individuals to talk through their personal needs and find effective ways to assist. Reaching those people means working alongside community groups like the Nistawoyou Association Friendship Centre. The Canadian Red Cross is partnering with the Centre to help connect with aboriginal residents.

Three years after flooding destroyed thousands of properties across southern Alberta, a colourful new playground stands outside a brightly restored school in High River.
Where twisted metal, broken branches, thick mud and debris covered the area in 2013, children now swing happily between new play structures at Holy Spirit Academy. Funded by the Canadian Red Cross community grants program and other sponsors, the playground offers a lot of unique features, not only for students but the entire community.