By Tina Comeau
THE VANGUARD
NovaNewsNow.com
With one week remaining in a campaign to raise funds to help support the local Canadian Red Cross and its disaster services team, the Yarmouth Walmart store has already surpassed its goal, which is good news for the community say Red Cross workers and volunteers.
At the time of checkout, Walmart cashiers are asking people if they would be willing to donate $1 towards the campaign. And people can donate more if they so choose.
All of the money raised through the campaign – which started Aug.1 and ends Aug. 31 – stays in the area to help people who have been displaced by a fire or another emergency or disaster. Through its disaster services team, the Red Cross can provide emergency food, clothing and shelter to people for 72 hours.
“We’re above our goal,” says Walmart store manager Jean Thornton. “Our goal was to raise $3,300 and we’re up to $3,400 so the community is really pitching in to help out. We do the asking but the community itself is giving the funds and supporting this.”
Locally, the Red Cross has a disaster services team – made up of volunteers – of about 24 people. Wendy Deveau, the service centre coordinator, says from this team two people would attend the scene of a personal disaster, such as a house fire, and gather information and offer support.
“If somebody has been burnt out of their home, we go with blankets, comfort kits, teddy bears for the children, and we provide comfort,” she explains. “And then we can give vouchers for food, clothing and shelter. This is for the first three days after a disaster so it’s emergency services.”
Because the Red Cross has an agreement with Walmart, these vouchers for food and clothing can be used at the store.
The coverage area of the local Red Cross office is Digby around to Lockeport. There are four disaster teams in this region in Yarmouth, Digby, Clare and Barrington and efforts are underway to set up a team in Shelburne.
While people may not think that disasters can happen in their own communities, floods, storms and lingering power outages are some other examples of things that can displace residents, in addition to fires.
Sundae Wiser, a volunteer with the Red Cross disaster services team, says sometimes their help isn’t required at the scene of a disaster like a fire. Sometimes people who are facing a personal disaster have family or friends who can take them in and support them.
“But sometimes they don’t have any of that and that’s when we can be most helpful,” she says.
