Quote:
Originally Posted by Aeneas
I assume I will get slammed for being an unappreciative jerk, and further preface this by saying I think the city is awesome with all the volunteers and help, truly it has been awesome.
I just don't see what the point of today's exercise was, at least in Discovery.
When someone on the street I was working on said a whole busload of volunteers had arrived people were happy. Some new arms and shoulders and backs would be so welcome. We misunderstood. We were told you guys were here to welcome us home, not to physically help.
One comment, not mine, was that they didn't bring any shovels but they did bring a TV camera crew.
Someone said you went back to McMahon and had food trucks. Is that true?
Again, it is awesome to hear about all these volunteers, and I am happy that people (was it Howie16?) went to Home Depot, got equipment and waded in.
Maybe I'm tired, maybe I am missing the big picture, but I assure you I am fully prepared to be convinced I am wrong on this one.
Correct, curse, and critique away.
Ps to JonDuke, sorry for quoting you just did it for the context, I thank you for your efforts and offers you have made to help. I wish I had been at McMahon, sounds like one of those special group moments that really bring a large community together.
|
I won't slam you at all for this one. I'm actually on your side and agree that although the intentions might have been good, our trip was, for the most part, a waste of time.
Our task was to walk along around house to house and talk to residents. We were given "What to do after a flood" booklets made by the City. The book contained fun facts like "Remove your carpet and junk it, unless it's very valuable, clean your drywall with a mix of dish soap and bleach 6 inches above the waterline, beware the formation of microbes, etc etc." We were told that the answers to most questions we would get would be in that book. They weren't.
Most houses I personally went to already had people working on their basements, had drenched couches and garbage already in dumpsters outside, etc. The question I had most often is the probably obvious "Where is Enmax/When are we getting power". I didn't have the answer. We walked into the 3 condo buildings at the end of DR Lane. The flash from our phone used to walk through the pitch dark buildings. For every 20 doors we knocked on, 1 person answered.
Many of the people in our bus went to areas far away from the rover where there clearly was no sign of water damage, but were still told to "welcome" the residents home.
I was indeed on the bus with the CTV news crew. The videographer was from Ottawa and the journalist from Vancouver.
Also, the food trucks were indeed parked at the Stadium. 3 of them. Offered to us prior to leaving as well as when we returned 4 hours later. Post cleanup, I happily partook in a half breast chicken burger.
So, while I say that it was, for the large part, a waste of time, it it had it's moments. I walked into a basement and had a 15 minute convo with a 65ish year old lady who clearly just wanted to talk. Her name was Gloria and before I left, she gave me a hug and thanked me for stopping by. I don't know how many other volunteers might have encountered similar scenarios, but for me, that is why it wasn't a complete waste of time.
My buddy and I both agreed though that tomorrow, and for every other day this week, we are simply going to drive ourselves to a neighborhood of our choice, walk door to door, and ask if we can lend physical help. I straight up want to get dirty and clean sh#t up.
No offense taken at all to your post. I can't speak for what where the other buses went, but that's pretty much what we did.