Canadian Conservation Corps Group 2 participant Ben Mowat describes his experience as he and the rest of the group volunteered to help victims of the New Brunswick flooding before they departed for Phase 1 of their journey.
“I was amazed by the perseverance and giving nature of the people affected by the flood, especially since they lost so much. I was also impressed by the teamwork and comradery and how everyone was pitching in wherever they could without complaints. This group of people is the best and most effective team I’ve ever worked with and I’ll never forget the experience.”
~ Samantha Jung, a CCC Group 2 Participant
I brought children’s drawings, toys, Christmas lights and decorations out of a flooded house to the feet of the third set of homeowners we helped.
They were a young couple with a four-year-old daughter and I could see, despite the brave face they put on, that every personal item that they were forced to throw out was meaningful to them. I recall finding a family photo of the father posing with his daughter, a crayon drawing she had made on her third birthday, and a small purple baby’s rattle.
Despite everything they had already endured, they remained in high spirits, and jumped in to help with the work. They lead us inside and instructed us to start ripping apart the walls of the home they had built together.
That was just one of the houses I visited that day as a volunteer for Samaritan’s Purse, an organization that helps those in need when disaster strikes. Our team lead, Reg, who retired two years ago, was working with Samaritan’s Purse to bring help to those in disaster relief zones. His dedication was inspiring.
The flooding in Fredericton was the worst of the past hundred years. The damage and devastation were unprecedented, with roads being cut off, thousands losing power, a score of injuries and massive property damage. Despite the widespread hardship people suffered, I was really impacted by how the community rallied together.
I never would have imagined that the massive devastation you hear and see on the news would become an upfront and personal confrontment this past month. Our Canadian Conservation Corps (CCC) cohort and I experienced a life changing perspective of shattering flooding event along the St. John river front in Fredericton New Brunswick.
~Jeremy Harbinson, a CCC Group 2 Participant
As we were clearing mold from another home, two men pulled up in a mobile coffee and refreshment station they had put together in the back of their truck, and I remember hearing the owner of the station saying that he was just doing what he could. It reminded me that any gesture, no matter how small, can have a great impact.
Author
Ben Mowat
Group 2 participant Ben Mowat is in the Canadian Conservation Corps. The conservation issue closest to his heart? Climate change.
CWF
Our mission is to conserve and inspire the conservation of Canada’s wildlife and habitats for the use and enjoyment of all.
