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Calgary Floods: Rebuilding Rowan House

October 25, 2013

By Diane Beaman

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On Thursday, June 20, 2013, our lives and our community in High River and the Foothills in  Alberta, as we knew them, changed immensely due to the devastating flood. Despite the damage the water left behind in its wake, our spirits and determination have remained strong due to the many volunteers and forms of assistance we have received from friends and strangers. Our sense of community continues to grow as we move towards renewal and restoration.

High River is home to an emergency shelter, Rowan House, whose goal as stated on their website, “”¦is to provide women and their children a safe environment that nourishes feelings of self- worth, lends an opportunity for healing and personal growth, and provides temporary housing while facilitating transition back into the community.  It is our intention to provide women and their children with services to foster coping skills that lead to a life free of violence.”

Rowan House serves the rural foothills including the communities of Okotoks, High River, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Longview, Blackie, Nanton, Vulcan, Claresholm, and the surrounding areas.

Sherrie Botten, Executive Director of Rowan House, reported that they had regained access to Rowan House on the evening of July 4 only to find that over 3 feet of contaminated water had flooded the lower level of the shelter. 3,500 square feet of programming space had to be completely rehabilitated: the lower level of their child care center and play area, teen area, multi-sensory therapy room, spiritual care room, counselling room, staff work area and board/meeting room. She commented further that the stress of the flood disaster will have a detrimental effect on some families and will increase the need for Rowan House’s services ten-fold. It is estimated that it will take 3-6 months to re-open at full capacity.

The Primate’s World  Relief and Development Fund has generously provided Rowan House $7,000.00  out of flood relief donations from caring and compassionate people and church groups across the country to restore and rebuild the child care centre. The funds will purchase new educational toys, books and resources, clothes for the dress-up centre, new toys, puzzles, books and games given for the children’s use and to take with them when they move into a new home.

The Rowan House website mentions “that the Rowan tree is also known as the Mountain Ash. The berries, often retained through the winter, symbolize the endurance of Life through the dark of the year and the tree itself was said to afford protection to the dwelling by which it grew. Rowan trees have traditionally been associated with peace, sanctuary, privacy and beauty. The Rowan Tree symbolizes what we at Rowan House stand for.”

With this donation, the PWRDF has provided an immeasurable gift to children with special needs by providing them and their mothers with education, support, encouragement, hope, healing and shelter not only under these most extraordinary circumstances but in the days and years to come! Praise be to God!

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