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Thanks!
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We cannot possibly thank everyone who made our return to Bridgeland possible without missing a few. However, we want to make sure to thank JH Innovations who put in hundreds (thousands) of hours - continuing still - to get us cleaned up and back in business. We are also grateful to the team of SAIT electricians who put in over 140 hours immediately after the flood to get our power restored. Thanks to a number of media friends - Calgary Herald, Global, XL103, Macleans, Shaw, City TV (and partners) and CTV - our message was, and continues to be, shared. Between this media coverage and our own social media efforts, hundreds of volunteers came out to lend a hand and for that we are eternally grateful. We cannot say thank you enough for the sweat and tears poured out on our behalf.
If you want to see a video about how that week looked for us, go to http://vimeo.com/m/69426396. Thanks and to Re Carlson of Abtek. CA Media for producing this video.
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Full Houses Required a lot of Help to Maintain Operations
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Even though Bridgeland was the main site volunteers went to support recovery from the flood, there were plenty of volunteers who made sure that Brenda's House and Cranston, with their sudden increase in guests, were not forgotten. Some brought food for children and staff, some brought diapers and formula and some donated hours of time helping care for the children. Volunteers and donors would call or show up asking what was needed and then fill whatever request we had at that moment. Our amazing supporters delivered groceries and necessities, prepped meals, did laundry, sorted through donations and shared the task of making sure our kids were safe and well cared for.
For the staff it was a new experience working with new people towards the same goal. With the challenge of navigating the damaged city and getting to a different (and in the case of Cranston - a fairly remote) location, the staff were understanding and everyone did their best. It really showed that Cottage staff are a team and rise to challenges!
We are sincerely grateful to donors and volunteers who couldn't help at Bridgeland but turned their efforts to our other locations instead. They stepped up to volunteer or stopped in with loaded vehicles. When we were struggling to keep afloat with overflowing households, the community was there with diapers and baby food, and truck loads of clothes and such from places as far away as Edson.
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Thank you event for our
Flood Volunteers
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We hope to host a thank you event for everyone who helped out during the flood. Look for an email from us or news on Facebook and Twitter in the upcoming weeks. We'd love to see you again and invite you to see how the renovations are coming along.
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Flooded out at the Bridgeland Crisis Nursery
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The flood was a huge shock to everyone at the Children's Cottage, just as it was for so many in our city who had experienced flood "scares" before without any adverse effects. This event started like so many others. Around 9:00 pm on June 20th, we received the evacuation order for our Bridgeland Crisis Nursery and children who could return to their parents did so. Eight children could not go home and instead went to our Crisis Nursery in Cranston and to Brenda's House in Killarney. Then we waited to be given the word that we could return. On Saturday, we saw that the Bridgeland Crisis Nursery was surrounded by water right up to the house. We began to call out for anyone who could offer help to pump us out upon our return. We also knew that we would be in need of many volunteers to get this done quickly.
On Sunday at noon, we were allowed back into Bridgeland. We discovered that our basement had been submerged almost up to the ceiling: our electrical systems, hot water heaters, boiler, phone system, client files, board room, food storage room, and volunteer and child care staff offices were all ruined. Everything had to be discarded including our kangaroo mascot Jenny with her baby Joey. The scope of work was overwhelming, but moments after we arrived so did help. Volunteers began to show up, as did Jason and his team from JH Innovations who had trucks full of equipment to ensure proper and safe demolition occurred. What a relief! It was the dirtiest job we ever experienced but everyone rolled up their sleeves and got the job done. By Monday afternoon, the basement was gutted and we were able to consider the rebuilding phase of our task. Electrical instructors from SAIT began the huge job of repairing our electrical. Once we had power, the next steps fell into place and by Friday the 28th at 6 pm, we were able to bring children back to the Crisis Nursery. They returned to a yard that had been bleached and power washed and a house that had been cleaned from top to bottom. This work ensured our children were protected from any contaminants that could make them sick.
Work continues today on readying the basement for its rebuild and we hope to begin that soon. Alongside this will be the renovation of our backyard - a project that was being discussed prior to the flood and has become a necessity as a result of the flood. We will be seeking volunteer support again as we, together with CTV and Golden Acre, renovate the backyard at the end of September and we invite you to contact us if you are interested.
It was very hard to be closed during a time of great need for Calgarians. The community support we experienced to swiftly return to regular operations was astounding and moving. We are honoured to be back serving Calgary's vulnerable children. It is wonderful to see the children running around the house and yard once again, as if nothing ever happened, and to help families in crisis when they need a helping hand. Our donors and volunteers made this possible and we can never say thank you enough.
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Looking for a Way to Give Back?
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You can become a supporter of the Cottage and bring some friends, family or colleagues along with you. Consider turning your birthday party into a fundraising event for the Cottage. Or, if your energy runs a bit higher, consider organizing an event like a home party or a golf tournament, where participants get to have a fun time and give back to a worthy cause. Go ahead, get creative. Then contact us and we'll help you along with your plans.
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