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Elmira, Ontario, Canada | observerxtra.com | Volume 27 | Issue 34
Living Here | 23
Support for rainbow crosswalk
Various groups call for inclusion in wake of Woolwich councillor’s comments Bill Atwood Observer Staff
Rev. Sue Campbell of Trinity United Church and Rev. Reuben St. Louis of Gale Presbyterian Church pose with the pride flag to show solidarity with the 2SLGBTQI+ community. Both pastors signed a letter addressed to Mayor Sandy Shantz in support of the proposed Leah Gerber rainbow crosswalk in Elmira.
WOOLWICH COUN. MURRAY MARTIN’S NEGATIVE comments last week about a rainbow crosswalk proposed for Elmira drew a quick response, most of it condemning his comments about the 2SLGTBQI+ community. The pushback includes renewed calls for just such a crosswalk in support of that community.
For example, two local pastors, Rev. Sue Campbell of Trinity United Church and Reuben St. Louis of Gale Presbyterian Church, sent an open letter to Mayor Sandy Shantz in support of the idea. “We believe the rainbow is a symbol of God’s grace and love for all creation and we are glad to see it being used to support 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion in our community. The → RAINBOW 5
MCC sees push from volunteers as it continues aid in Ukraine Bill Atwood Observer Staff
AS RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE presses on, Canadians are continuing to provide support by way of donations. This includes efforts by the Mennonite Central Committee of Ontario, which has raised a total of $2.3 million from donors and sent one container of supplies so far. That’s part of the larger effort from the MCC in
Canada and the United States, which have received $9.7 million in donations and sent five containers of supplies. “Since we put out the request the support that we’ve received has been unbelievable,” said Jon Lebold, material resources program coordinator for MCC Ontario. “A lot of people think because of our thrift shops and stuff, we’re sending used clothes and things
like that, but everything we’re shipping is brand new. So the main requests for this load were for relief kits, hygiene kits, infant care kits, and comforters,” Lebold explained. The relief kits can support up to four, while the hygiene kits are for one person. The infant-care kits include items such as sleepers, baby blankets, socks, a hat and soap. The comforters are all handmade by volunteers, Lebold said.
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“There are hundreds – actually it’s safe to say thousands –of people across Ontario that are making the comforters for us and donating the comforters. They’re all beautiful comforters,” he said. An MCC worker in Ukraine explained the importance of the supply shipment in a release from the organization. “So many people in Ukraine are still suffering and they feel helpless in
the face of circumstances they cannot control. The fighting has been going on for months, people get tired and discouraged. Ukrainians need to know that they’re not alone in this and that they’re supported, that there are people around the world who are not indifferent to the suffering,” said Nadiya T, whose last name was withheld for safety reasons. Both the volunteers and donors went above and
beyond to make the shipment of supplies happen while still allowing MCC to honor previous commitments, Lebold explained. “A lot of our partners, when the war started in Ukraine, were really worried because typically when there’s a war in a part of the world, relief organizations kind of focus on that and sometimes forget about some of the other areas that still have great →MCC 7
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