Strathmore residents take initiative to save Syrian family; met with disapproval

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Emotions ran high and discussions turned vehement during a controversial informational meeting last week, that aimed to raise funds in hopes of sponsoring a Syrian family currently in a refugee camp, and integrate them into the Strathmore community.
Shortly after Shelby Dwyer launched the fundraising group ‘Strathmore for Syria’ early last week, numerous concerns surrounding the initiative’s title, its message, and the focus of the group, forced the Strathmore resident to change the name to Hope for Syria. The situation garnered national attention and on Sept. 30 nearly 60 community members met at the Hope Community Covenant Church to gain more information, understand the process, and voice their concerns.
“There are people that don’t necessarily support this initiative,” said Dwyer.
“I’m not thinking about all the people in the refugee camp. I’m just thinking we can make a difference for one family and welcome them here. I think if we can all make a little more room in our hearts and in our community and come together we can make it a reality.”
Hope for Syria wants to collaborate with churches, individuals, and local businesses to raise $15,000 to cover start up costs of housing, furniture, clothing, food and ESL lessons for the first six months. However, Dwyer informed the crowd that she is hopeful those items can be donated. By looking at a Blended Visa Office-Referred program – a private sponsorship of refugees program – the Canadian government matches the funds and covers costs for the next six months. Dwyer has already been in contact with the Mennonite Central Committee who have supplied a list of 20 United National vetted families in need of sponsorship. Anyone sponsoring a refugee family under the blended visa program is responsible for their social and emotional support for a year.
“In our day to day lives we are all busy and we all have stuff going on and it’s easy to forget that there are people across the world suffering,” said Dwyer. “I’ve received a lot of comments from people saying we should take care of our own, and we should. I’m not saying that these initiatives are mutually exclusive.”
Yet, not everyone agreed with Dwyer’s approach. While many said her heart was in the right place, they were concerned about the threat of ISIS, job loss and poverty in Canada, and a long-term plan. Some also questioned why we wouldn’t send resources to the refugee camps instead as had been done in the past.
“It’s terrible over there, I totally believe everyone here had their hearts in the right place, but I also believe that Germany had their hearts in the right place, Turkey had their hearts in the right place, and look at the chaos that’s going on there right now,” said Lynette Halwa. “Why are people so concerned about bringing refugees into our country with everything that’s going on in the world right now, when we can provide food, and medical services. That’s how we helped Indonesia with the tsunami, Japan when they had their earthquake, Haiti and so many other places.”
Members of the Hope Community Covenant Church in turn talked about their desire to do both. Help with resources, but also bring a family to Canada to provide a long-term solution.
Emotions ran high and tears began to flow when talking about issues in our own back yard. With people reliant on the food bank and struggling to make ends meet, some community members felt it was important to focus on our community first. But when discussions turned to religion and extremism, discussions became heated.
But the majority of the people in attendance were in support and eager to help. Several community members who are in constant interaction with refugees, immigrants, or minority groups reminded the crowd that this family wasn’t after high profile jobs, will be vetted by the Canadian government, is going to extreme measures to save their families, and can become viable members of the community.
“In 2000 a young boy came into our community to go to school, we were fostering him in our home,” said Denise Peterson. “He’s Ethiopian. His father was killed, his mother sacrificed everything to get him. He came into our home and is a member of our family. He lives in this community, he has a girlfriend, he is black, he’s Muslim, he goes to Hope Community Covenant Church a lot, and he’s a neurologist doing his PHD. I think his is a reality of refuges in this country.”
To date, over 200,000 people have been killed in the four-and-a-half-year-long Syrian civil war that escalated following anti-government protests.
Strathmore Senior High School Career Practitioner, Kaitrin McDonnell, who was present at the meeting and a good friend of Dwyer’s, announced the commitment and support of students at the high school through some of the school’s programs. While she said she wasn’t yet sure what that support would look like, she referenced the $10,000 that were raised by the students to send a girl in Kenya to school for four years.
Dwyer encouraged anyone interested to participate in the initiative and raise money to contact her through www.havehopeforsyria@gmail.com