Rotary Club helping make refugee family comfortable
Posted with permission from The Sioux Lookout Bulletin
Tim Brody - Associate Editor
A house, centrally located in town, has been obtained for the Eritrean family that will be coming to Sioux Lookout.
As the house is being set up for their arrival, the Rotary Club of Sioux Lookout is helping make that house a home for the new arrivals.
On April 21, members of the Rotary Club presented members of the Sioux Lookout Refugee Sponsorship Group with two complete bed packages for the family.
From left: Bill Hochstedler – Rotarian, Sylvie MacDonald – Rotarian, Clifford Mushquash – Rotary President, Lynn Martin and Michela Salter – refugee sponsorship group, and Dick MacKenzie – Rotarian. Tim Brody / Bulletin Photo
Clifford Mushquash, president of the Rotary Club of Sioux Lookout, explained that in January members of the refugee sponsorship group attended a Rotary meeting and spoke with members about bringing the family from Eritrea here.
“Immediately after their presentation there was talk among several members of our club with Michela (Salter) and Margot (Saari) about how exactly the club could help. President-elect Kirk Drew and I browsed the registry. What immediately stood out to us was the need for several beds for the family to use, and how the Rotary Club might be positioned to actually purchase new beds for the family. “I think something that really resonated with the club when we discussed it with them was the ability to support and provide for a family in a way that would have some longevity. We donated two complete bed packages that included the frame, mattress, box spring, mattress cover, pillows, duvets, duvet covers, and two sets of sheets for each bed.”
Mushquash added, “It’s always a wonderful thing when a community comes together to support a really great cause. The fact that this community has rallied to help a family they haven’t even met yet I think is a testament to compassion and humanity and it’s beautiful.”
Salter, chairperson of the Sioux Lookout Refugee Sponsorship Group, commented, “It was a very generous donation, very greatly received.”
She is hopeful the family will arrive soon, perhaps in May.
Some overseas paperwork issues have delayed the family’s arrival.
“Bob Nault’s office has been really helping us out,” Salter added.
A list of items people can contribute to the family is available at https://siouxlookoutsponsors.wordpress.com/contribute/.
People can contact refugee sponsorship group member Clover Roy, cywclover@gmail.com, to confirm items still needed, as well as arrange for pickup and delivery of items.