Alberta News and Stories
The Lending Library of Things
- In communities, big and small, local libraries are a meeting space for young and old and of course, a place to sign out books, DVDs and audiobooks. When High River’s library was severely damaged by the Southern Alberta Floods in 2013, it moved to a temporary location while repairs and rebuilding took place. It was then that unique needs started to emerge.
Mental health support for people impacted by Alberta fires
- Following the evacuation from Fort McMurray in 2016, Sithara Fernando experienced post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and a major depression. One year after the wildfire, she shares her story to help other people who are still recovering. She is thankful for the support of the Red Cross in providing mental health resources in the community.
Red Cross update: Alberta fires, one year on
- Nearly one year later, how your donations have helped people recover and rebuild following the devastating wildfires in Alberta.
No time limit on rebuilding lives after a disaster
- The signs of hope, strength and recovery are everywhere now when I visit Fort McMurray and the surrounding region in northern Alberta. It’s been slightly more than nine months since wildfires wiped out so much for so many there, and when I talk with people in Wood Buffalo, I still hear their struggles. But increasingly, I also hear more optimism.
Through the Smoke – A Fort McMurray Family’s Evacuation Story
- The unthinkable happened one day for Sheila Champion and her family. The rest of the country watched in disbelief through various news mediums, as wildfires threatened the city of Fort McMurray. The Champion family, along with approximately 88,000 other residents, were forced from their home, facing the uncertainty of not knowing if they would ever be able to return.
Emotional toll: Responding to all needs after the Alberta fires
- The wildfires that ravaged many areas of the northern Alberta community last May were an extremely stressful experience for many people. In the first weeks after the evacuation, besides responding to the basic needs of Fort McMurray evacuees, the Red Cross also deployed a Safety and Well Being Team with expertise in Psychological First Aid.
No request too small for Canadian Red Cross
- The Canadian Red Cross receives many calls for assistance, but this call, from one of the evacuees from the Alberta Fires in May, was a bit different.
Kim Matchem contacted the Red Cross for a teddy bear. Kim was eight months pregnant with her daughter Tenley when she was evacuated from Fort McMurray.
Eight stories that warmed our hearts this year
- 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?
Underwater cameras coming to Edmonton pools
- A pilot project that would see the installation of underwater cameras in three Edmonton pools is expected to get underway by 2017. Participants at the 7th annual Alberta Red Cross Water Safety Conference in Edmonton in October learned about the initiative. “We are always striving to improve water safety in Canada,” says Sarah Jackson, Red Cross Water Safety Representative for northern Alberta and NWT. “Conferences like this are a great opportunity to learn from each other.”
Red Cross helps family after losing three homes in Alberta fires
- In the spring of 2016, Leonie Bree says she was happily in the process of starting her own business, and she and her husband had recently bought a home in the neighbourhood of Abasand. Her daughters, Vanessa and Katrena, who were starting their own families, had also just bought homes in Beacon Hill and Waterways. However, that all changed after wildfires swept through the city in May, forcing the family to evacuate. Unfortunately, all three homes were lost to the flames.
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