Aileen Park, an Alberta fires evacuee, is an artist. Over the last five years, she has made thousands of tiny blown-glass hearts that she gives to strangers in the hopes that they will bring a smile to someone’s face. These small Pocket Hearts are a symbol of human connection and are meant to be shared and passed along. More recently the hearts have been given to people facing hardships or as a thank you for the generosity from others around her. Her little tokens of hope and solidarity are now spread across every continent.
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Red Cross teams have witnessed thousands of acts of kindness as Canadians come together to help those affected by the massive wildfires in Fort McMurray and surrounding communities.
Last week, Jenn McManus, VP of Alberta operations for the Red Cross, visited the Acklands-Grainger employees in Fort McMurray to recognize one such act of kindness.
The community of Coaque is about a 15-minute drive along the highway from where the Canadian Red Cross field hospital is based in Pedernales, Ecuador. The field hospital has been supporting a local health facility damaged by the April earthquake. Doctor Patricia Connick has been going out on mobile clinics like this nearly every day of her one-month mission.
There is an unlikely friendship - Alzinia Pailin is an American Red Cross volunteer from California and Marie Bernatchez is a French speaking Canadian Red Cross volunteer from Quebec. But after being paired together on a three-week deployment in the small town of Lac La Biche, south of Fort McMurray, as part of the Alberta fire response, the two women found much common ground including their work as Red Cross volunteers and quickly became friends.
Last summer, we had a few tornado scares in Southern Alberta. Working at the Red Cross, I felt as though I was prepared to stay safe. However, I learned that there are actually a lot of myths around tornado safety. Learn more about some of the most common ones.
The Canadian Red Cross is recognizing our 120th anniversary through a new online platform. The project, celebrating 120 years of helping those in need, highlights important moments in our history through significant events and stories displayed on an interactive timeline. Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with veteran Red Cross volunteer, Ted Itani, to talk about Red Cross history and one item in particular that connects our Red Cross stories: a model landmine.
In times of disaster and emergencies, the work done by humanitarians at home and abroad is essential. Over the last two years, Canadian Red Cross aid workers have assisted with earthquakes in Nepal and Ecuador, at Syrian refugee camps and with Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, among many others. Disasters, both natural and manmade, are increasingly common. This is why the work of the Canadian Red Cross focuses not only on sending aid workers to emergencies, but also training and educating the next generation.
We want to see how you live to explore our lakes, rivers and shores while wearing your lifejacket. Snap a pic and send it to us for a chance to win one of 10 family packs of Mustang lifejackets.
Share your photo on social media using #LifeJacketLiving or #LaVieEnGilet to enter the contest or submit your photo online here.