Helpers

As I had mentioned before our city has been in a State of Emergency due to flooding.  There were areas in particular that were hit really hard as in water up to the main floor.  Our downtown core was under water.  It has been a surreal time with all the images being posted.  

Luckily we were completely unaffected and in fact you can see in these pictures which was two days after we are dry.

Help was needed by so many.  There has been great destruction but luckily for the major event that it was the loss of life was very low in number.  This fact however is not a comfort to those that did lose lost ones and we will remember them whenever thinking of these times.

I am a firm believer in the 'village' whether it is in raising children or in taking care of each other as a whole.  When our neighbours are in trouble was are all in trouble and if we can help we should.  Not only is this a lesson I want to instill in my children that I will eventually turn out into the world but it is also an opportunity for those of my children who many consider to be a burden to contribute to the best of their abilities.  It allows them the dignity of being considered worthy of a responsibility and the positive reinforcement that comes with that.  It also is an illustration to the general community that everyone has worth and want to be included as part of a solution.  It matters little to me that some of my kids have what we think is zero knowledge of the history making time they just lived through or that they might not know why they are moving things from one place to another etc.  Everyone can be a helper.  There is reward in that whether it be the gratitude of those on the receiving end or the accolades of your mother.

I make a lousy labourer for clean up with eleven happy or notso happy followers as the case may be but we can collect and distribute resources.  While the kids were off school and day programs due to road closures etc this is what we did.  Now that everyone is back to their regular routines it is four of my kids that are home with me each day until their summer programs begin.

notice dog is helping too...

loaded and ready to go

This giving young lady the first week was going out to one of our surrounding First Nation communities and was working 12 hour days in the evacuation centre helping to feed the masses.