THUNDER BAY – How big is your heart? Are you ready to help the victims of the May 2012 Flood in Thunder Bay? It is a huge job. Cleaning up, rebuilding, and returning to a ‘normal life’ is going to be a real problem for many of the people impacted by the flooding in Thunder Bay that hit the city last May 28th.
Outside of the city, news and information about the flood was not widespread.
For people in the city, the first days after the flood saw lots of pumps and hoses draining water from the flooded basements. If you toured the areas impacted early on, you would likely not have felt there was the scope of damages.
A few days after the torrential rainfall, you started to see furniture and appliances out of the basements. That started to demonstrate the more serious nature of the problem.
Within a week, it was drywall, studs, and all the basement materials lining the streets outside of impacted homes.
The victims of the flood have not yet received all the help that they need. Money is coming in slowly from people in the city. Thunder Bay is a city with 120,000 people in the district. Raising five million dollars – the amount needed to receive matching funds from the provincial government is a daunting task.
There are individuals working to help raise money. One lady has challenged all her friends on Facebook to donate $10. Another is donating the $5 profit from ‘Thunder Books’ sares to the fund.
About one million dollars has been raised so far in the effort.
Thunder Bay is known as a city with a giant heart. However the task before the city might be bigger than the giant hearts in our city can handle. It might take people from across Ontario, and across Canada stepping up to help in order to met the goal.
Often after a disaster, and after the media ‘spotlight’ has left, the people are also left. Left to pick up the pieces, and try to put their lives back together.
How big is your heart? Are you ready to help the victims of the May 2012 Flood in Thunder Bay?
Online
United Way: unitedway-tbay.on.ca/donate, select Thunder Bay Disaster Relief Fund from the designation options – Accepts Credit Card
Salvation Army: www.salvationarmy.ca/donate, select General Donation, designate donation gift to: Thunder Bay Disaster Relief Fund – Accepts Credit Card and PayPal
The Canadian Red Cross: www.redcross.ca/donate, select Thunder Bay Flood from donation options – Accepts Credit Card and PayPal
By Phone
United Way: 807-626-1750 – Accepts Credit Card
Salvation Army: 1-800-SAL-ARMY [725-2769] – Accepts Credit Card
Canadian Red Cross: 1-800-418-1111 – Accepts Credit Card
By Mail
Thunder Bay Disaster Relief Fund Victoriavill Civic Centre Cashiers 111 Syndicate Ave. S., Thunder Bay ON P7C 5K4 Accepts Cheques Made Out To: Disaster Relief Fund
United Way of Thunder Bay 1093 Barton St., Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5N3 Accept Cheques Made Out To: United Way of Thunder Bay with memo line: Thunder Bay Disaster Relief Fund
Salvation Army National Processing Centre P.O. Box 8200, Winnipeg, MN R3C 4W5 Accept Cheques with memo line: Thunder Bay Disaster Relief Fund
Canadian Red Cross 5700 Cancross Crt., Mississauga, ON L5R 3E9 Accept Cheques with memo line: Thunder Bay Disaster Relief Fund