Ethiopia is almost a world away, but it sure didn’t feel like it this past weekend.
Hundreds area residents flocked to the Rotary Spirit Centre for the inaugural Rainbow for the Future’s Sports for Ethiopia event.
Crowds were out at all hours of the night holding up their end of the deal to raise money for orphans and HIV-positive women in Ethiopia.
Whether it was the hockey players on the ice for the graveyard shift, the curlers or the walkers … the community really stepped up to the plate to raise significant money for a worthy cause.
Amongst the folks of all ages that came out were mayor Ralph Leriger and Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken who both participated. Leriger lugged 50 pounds of water for 10 kilometres to represent the daily struggle of Ethiopian women who walk five to 10 kilometres in search of clean water to carry it all back, while van Dijken took part in the marathon hockey games.
And just from the participation fundraising alone, which was $200 per person, enough money has been raised to make change.
For each of the 200-plus people that participated, enough money was raised to support one Ethiopian orphan or woman living with HIV for an entire year, Rainbow for the Future chair Leo Seguin said.
And that’s a lot coming from one small town in Alberta.
Granted it’s not easy sailing at home right now either, but most will never experience the struggles and hardships that Ethiopians face on a daily basis.
It’s our social responsibility to take care of the needy right here in Westlock and in Canada, but international borders can’t block the humanitarian aid.
As Leriger said it’s not a big deal for people to play hockey at 3 a.m. or to walk a few kilometres one time compared to the hardships these people face on a daily basis.
“It’s one thing for us to suck it up and do it once … those people have to be mentally tough every day of their lives just to survive.”
It takes leaders in the community to step up and organize these initiatives, but it takes a community to support them.
Well done Westlock!
