The Salvation Army Distributing Furniture to Sherbrook Apartment Fire Evacuees
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 24, 2012Winnipeg, MB - When fire devastated an apartment complex in the 500 block of Sherbrook Street, the building's tenants witnessed the loss of valuables, memories, heirlooms and other personal belongings as they disappeared in the raging inferno. On that fateful day, The Salvation Army was called to assist. The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services' Community Response vehicle quickly arrived on scene and began providing emotional and spiritual care to victims who escaped with only the clothes on their backs.
"When we first received word about the fire, we opened the
doors to our church to provide the evacuees with a safe and
warm place to go while things were sorted out for them,"
explains Jeff Hamel - Community Ministries Supervisor at The
Salvation Army Weetamah, "When the evacuees showed up we met
their immediate needs by feeding them soup and hot dogs, as
well as pastries, juice and coffee. We sat and talked with
them, comforting them as they dealt with feelings of
hopelessness and despair."
The work did not stop there.
Since that day, The Salvation Army has been helping
coordinate efforts to restore dignity and give hope to the
victims of this fire. In addition to providing clothing,
food, and helping arrange living accommodations for those
displaced, The Salvation Army Weetamah location has been
collecting many donations from the generous people of the
city of Winnipeg.
Mr. Dixon happened to be one of the firefighters who
responded to the blaze at the Sherbrook Street apartments.
While rescuing a person trapped inside, Dixon injured himself
and subsequently found himself off duty to recover. As he was
recovering, he began to think about those who lost everything
and how he could still help.
"These people are members of our community. Our fire hall is
just around the corner from where this fire took place,"
explains Dixon, "When things happen in our community, we feel
it too. Responding to the fire I got to see firsthand the
devastation. Many of these people couldn't even afford
insurance for their homes and they lost everything. I decided
I wanted to do something to help."
Immediately Mr. Dixon began to inquire about how best he
could help these people in a very practical way. One of the
ways he learned he could help was through the provision of
items like underwear and personal hygiene items. Through his
contacts, he got in touch with The North West Company who
agreed to help.
Serving the Prairies Since 1886
"We are very happy to be able to help provide these families
with a care package of every day necessities," says Christine
Reimer, Vice President and General Manager, Giant Tiger West.
"While we cannot replace memories lost, we hope at the very
least we can offer some comforts of home during this
difficult time."
The care packages being supplied by The North West Company
include socks, tooth brush and toothpaste, deodorant, body
wash, 2 in 1 shampoo, toques and mitts. Also being provided
are $20 Giant Tiger Gift Cards.
"The Salvation Army is grateful for the support of our
community members such as firefighter Keith Dixon and The
North West Company as they join with many others in helping
give hope and dignity to those devastated by the recent fires
that have taken place in our city," states Hamel, "We would
like to remind the generous people in our community that if
they would like to support the efforts of The Salvation Army
by making a donation, please call us at (204) 975-1033.
Donations can also be made by calling 1.800.SAL.ARMY or
visiting us online at www.salvationarmy.ca/prairie."
About Giant Tiger
Giant Tiger junior discount stores specialize in offering family fashion, household products and food to rural and urban centres in Western Canada. As a Master Franchisor, The North West Company owns and operates 34 Giant Tiger stores throughout Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
About The North West Company
The North West Company is a leading retailer of food and everyday products and services to rural communities and urban neighbourhoods in Canada, Alaska, the South Pacific and Caribbean. North West operates under the retail Banners of Northern, NorthMart, Giant Tiger, AC Value Center and Cost-U-Less, and has annualized revenue of approximately CDN$1.5 billion.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army provides direct, compassionate, hands-on
service to more than 1.6 million people in Canada each year,
restoring hope and dignity to the most vulnerable in society.
As an international Christian church that welcomes everyone,
The Salvation Army's faith motivates its mission to serve and
treat everyone with dignity and respect.
Learn more at dignity.salvationarmy.ca or
www.salvationarmy.ca
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jonathan D. Hamel
Communications and Marketing Coordinator
Telephone: (204) 975-1002
Email: jonathan_hamel@can.salvationarmy.org
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SalArmy_Prairie The Salvation Army Prairie Division
distribué par | Ce noodl a été diffusé par The North West Company Inc. et initialement mise en ligne sur le site http://www.northwest.ca. La version originale est disponible ici. Ce noodl a été distribué par noodls dans son format d'origine et sans modification sur 2012-01-24 23:35:35 PM et restera accessible depuis ce lien permanent. Cette annonce est protégée par les règles du droit d'auteur et toute autre loi applicable, et son propriétaire est seul responsable de sa véracité et de son originalité. |
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