Reserve the date! Region V Meeting: October 26 - 27, 2012 in Winnipeg

Dessert Night in Alberta

On Apr. 27, the Alberta MDS board and constituents were guests of the Kleine Gemeinde Church in Grassy Lake for the annual dessert night fundraiser and reports. We were graciously hosted by board member Eddy Kornelson and his wife Maria and their congregation. Young adult Dan Klassen gave a presentation about his term in Minot, ND. He spent two months in Minot helping to repair and rebuild homes and a community hall that were damaged in the Souris River flood in June 2011. Janet Plenert, Region V Manager gave a message and we were delighted to listen to a choir of forty young people from the local church.  

The highlight of the evening was listening to MDS client Gord Hestor. Mr. Hestor's homes had been damaged and his barns were destroyed in the Jan. wildfires. At that point, MDS Alberta volunteers had put in over 1,000 volunteer hours, working along with a local general contractor to repair the home and construct a new horse barn and arena that had been destroyed. 

Of course, wonderful desserts, coffee and fellowship followed at the end of a lovely evening.

Reported by Linda Dyck
  

MDS Alberta Fort Macleod project update

The building project in Fort Macleod was started Mar. 14, 2012. To date, repairs have included installing new siding, which had melted, on the home and completion of the stud barn, which had been partially destroyed. The new barn and riding arena, with stalls for approximately 50 horses, an office and washroom facilities is almost complete.

About 60 volunteers have worked on the project with over 1,300 hours of voluntary service provided. This project was unique, in that it was supported by a local general contractor, who was able to put the shell up and build the main structure, which was beyond the scope of our volunteers. We were able to work alongside the contractor, providing construction skills and labour, making the funds the client was able to procure go further. The most important aspect of this building project has been the relationship building with Alberta volunteers, the general contractor and his crew and the client and their family. God has been at work in many ways and only He will know what impact this has had. Several of the horses have already been brought back to the farm. We expect to complete the project by the middle of May and then the rest of the horses will be returning home to their new facilities.