During my first week of being the owner of momstown Calgary was a whirlwind. Jumping in to keep the chapter running while the city was under water was a challenge in its self. As someone who believes in giving back to our communities, I was, like many whom were not in the affected zones, trying to comprehend the situation and how I could help.
June 24, I posted on our Facebook page asking if any of our members had been affected and how could momstown help. Danielle from Organizing YYC posted back simply asking for anyone to call her if they can come help. Immediately I got on my phone and got to work calling people, looking for supplies, food, and able bodies to go help. That night is one I will never forget. Having loaded my truck with food, cleaning supplies and shovels, my husband and I headed down with some friends to get to work. Upon arriving I was taken back by the sheer magnitude of destruction, and immediately had to put on a strong face and move forward. It was emotionally overwhelming to see how many people were shoveling their belongings covered in mud and silt out of their homes over the hoses that were still pumping water out 4 days later. Then Danielle took us a little further to help one of her friends rip apart their basement, I thought I was speechless before.
There truly isn't any words to bring it all together. We just picked up a shovel and got to work - what else was there to do.
The sense of community and pride in this city is running strong and you can feel it wherever you go and I am so proud to be a Calgarian.
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| This car travelled a down city block and landed here on the fence post. |
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| The ground beneath the street which was saturated couldn't hold up any longer. |
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| The alleys filled with homeowners belongings. |
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| A line of people all working on emptying this home. |
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| My husband Nick and myself midway into the evening. |
Cleaning up after a disastrous calamity would seem overwhelming and all. Some would prefer to call for a cleaning service. But you and your husband willingly helped in cleaning other houses. You're definitely an inspiration to many, Erica! By the looks of it, there's no question that it will take time before all these are rebuilt. What matters is everyone's ready to reach out and lend a hand. *Allen Hoffman @ Damage-Restoration-Tucson.com
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