National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Monday, September 30
Brentwood Cares helped host “Making Visible our Shared History: The Context for Renaming Institutions.” Crystal Fraser and Sara Komarnisky presented slides on residential schools and the 150 Acts of Reconciliation. We had small group discussions focused on personal acts we can all take. For me it was reading and encouraging local engagement in Canada’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. People may remember the emails about local Indigenous sources for orange shirts last year.
Having the Blackfoot Tipi come to Blakiston Park this summer was an unexpected opportunity for engagement. It was interesting listening to Siksika Elder Adrian speak about pre-contact science, the impact of the words we choose, and talking about the power of voice. He also spoke about his involvement in the Calling Home Ceremony for Indigenous veterans, and those Indigenous warriors who lost their lives fighting for us in WWI, WWII, and the Korean War. Adrian talked about the injustice done to the veterans, who when they came home were denied the housing and education grants given to the others who served.
Liza Lorenzetti shared a quote from the Honourable Murray Sinclair: “Education is the key to reconciliation – education got us into this mess and education will get us out of it.”
Planning is currently underway for Brentwood Cares to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Cam Howey
Little Food Library 3624 Boulton Rd NW. Can You Help?
Times continue to be tough for many Calgarians with the triple whammy of inflation, high rents, and minimum wage unchanged since 2018. The doubling of Calgary Food Bank Hamper demand between early 2023 and spring 2024 is perhaps the best sign of the strain on families. My estimate (I’ve asked for 2024 numbers), is that baby hampers are up tenfold from 2013!
Looking for non-perishable items like:
• Beans with or without pork
• Macaroni and cheese
• Rice
• Insta Noodles
• Cereal, Oatmeal
• Pasta and sauce
• Canned fish or meat
• Peanut butter
• Powdered milk
• Soup – Instant/Canned
• Canned fruit or vegetables
• Granola bars, nuts, dried fruit
Check your pantry for items you won’t use or that are close to best before (https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/06/27/you-toss-food-wait-check-it-out). Collect food at a garage sale or community event – thanks to Dave and Calgary House Concerts.
Cash/gift cards always welcome and help fill need. Please text 405-606-6949 before dropping these off.
Interested in Joining Brentwood Cares?
New members always welcomed, email [email protected] to get on the email list
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