Heather Vanderveer who has been living in Strathmore since 1997 is getting ready to welcome and host a family fleeing the Ukraine when they arrive in a few days.
Vanderveer whose family immigrated to Canada in the early 1900s and has Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian heritage expressed it was not a question of if she could help but how she would help.
“Being ex-military I've seen what war can do to people and I can't even imagine. We are blessed here in Canada with what we have, nobody is bombing our homes. The least I could do is to give up a couple of my bedrooms for a few months.”
She hopes that this family will find Strathmore a good place to start over, Vanderveer knows Strathmore is a community filled with wonderful people who come together when there is a need and she feels this will be a good community for this family to begin again.
Vanderveer is looking forward to working with the family to help them get started with the basics and navigating new things in Canada, and getting the day to day items and necessities we make take for granted like getting a driver's license or a S.I.N. card. In addition to that, she will help them as they look for work, and a home and establish themselves in the community.
“Anything in the Strathmore area can help, especially with the father, he wants to retrain as a class 1 driver. Some of the jobs that people are suggesting are outside of Strathmore and the family doesn't have a car and as we know, there's no public transportation, it's just some of the stuff that you know we take for granted here."
Vanderveer has been witness to areas and situations in her life similar to what the families fleeing the Ukraine are currently living through and explained that for those who may be interested in hosting it is the little things we may not think about when it comes to housing to make families aware of, especially something like a basement suite.
"If you think there have been many families that have been holed up in basements for the past couple of months, due to bombing and shelling and they're just not comfortable being back in a basement," she did say that there are families who this may not be a trigger for but it is things like this that people may not realize.
As Vanderveer has been sharing her experience of meeting the family online and organizing everything at home so it is ready for them when they arrive, friends and family, and those in the community have questioned the safety of what she is doing. She explained that choosing the organization you work with is key to ensuring that everything is above board and safe for all involved. Vanderveer works with I Can Help Host, and noted that the families are coming into Canada through the CUAET program.
Vanderveer will be hosting the family for 3 months and says those volunteering can host for 1-3 months. She explained that after talking with the family over the past few months they are nervous but looking forward to starting their new lives, ready to work and become part of the community.
The daughter of the family will be attending George Freeman School and after speaking with the school Vanderveer is thrilled that they will try to get some clothing with the school's logo on it to give to her when starts her new school.
There have been around the community who have already reached out said Vanderveer, including one family who has recently moved from the Ukraine with a daughter the same age.
With the uncertainty so many are facing the hope Vanderveer has is that her actions may inspire others to look into different ways they can help. Saying it doesn't have to be the extreme of hosting a family it could be something as simple as getting in touch for a playdate with their daughter or helping with extra clothing or bedding if able.
Vanderveer is open and welcome to talk about what she is a part of, and hopes those with questions and those who may be able to help will reach out through social media.
In the end, Vanderveer said the conversations are just as important as the actions to getting more people involved in helping each other and says that is what we need more of in today's world.
Fri, May 3, 10:00 AM
