A true frigid Canadian winter hovered for a day when the members of the Filipino community welcomed the members of the Canadian Forces at the Filipino Seniors Group Hall by honouring them for their help after Typhoon Haiyan fiercely slashed Central Visayas,leaving billion of pesos in property damages and more than 6,000 deaths.
The atmosphere of welcoming and warmth filled the senior’s hall when the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) members of the Canadian Forces led by Major Robert Meade was given words and gestures of appreciation for their immediate response to help our kababayans in Central Visayas who were victims of the super typhoon. Major Meade was deployed to the Philippines and December to mobilize the DART’s mandate of the Canadian Forces to the calamity stricken areas in the Philippines.
During the appreciation night, organized and led by Aida Champagne, president of Filipino Senior Group; and Jon Reyes, president of the Manitoba Filipino Business Council, video presentation dramatized the humanitarian action of DART, how the Canadian Government acted immediately to help the typhoon victims. Major Meade, in his video presentation, brought the human drama:providing potable water through reversed osmosis, installing mobile hospital, to care for the sick, to help the victims, and to restore order and sanity.
Other Filipino members of the Canadian Forces were present and gave inspiration to the younger generations, and encourage to serve the country. Recruitment for possible members was conducted during the appreciation night.
Photos by Ron Cantiveros | Filipino Journal
