The legacies of some of the 16 seniors killed in a bus crash are living on in a western Manitoba community, as their clothing and food items are donated to those in need.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“It’s a huge benefit from the loss that has happened to the help that it brings other people,” said Wayne Olson, a community minister for the Church of Christ in Dauphin, Man.
“That’s a tremendously amazing thing when you think about the big picture of things, how what they have now will help many other people.”
A minibus was carrying a group of seniors from Dauphin and the surrounding area to a casino on June 15, when it went into the path of a semi-trailer truck on the Trans-Canada Highway near the town of Carberry, some 190 kilometres to the south.
The people on the bus were beloved grandparents, mothers, fathers and siblings, Mounties said at a news conference Thursday.
“Hearts are broken, families are grieving, a community is feeling immeasurable loss,” said RCMP Supt. Jeff Asmundson, who is in charge of Manitoba’s west district.
Health officials have said nine others on the bus remained in hospital, including the bus driver. Four were in critical condition.
The community held a memorial service Thursday evening, during which 18 candles were lit — 16 for those who died, one for the injured still in hospital and another for first responders who helped at the crash scene.
Also Thursday, food that had lined the shelves and filled the fridge of one victim went into food bank supplies.
Some food that couldn’t be donated was used in other ways by the charity.
The food bank has been busier than ever in recent years, so donations are often needed, Olson said. The program used to serve 100 people, but now feeds about 180.
In 2003, Olson said, the Church of Christ purchased the building, a former residential school. It was repurposed to help the community with a food bank and a clothing donation centre.
It also has housing and an indoor playground.
In recent days, families of those killed in the crash have stopped by with belongings.
Olson said it’s been very emotional to see “the heartache of the people coming to drop off.”
One man came in with his mother’s clothes.
“That’s not an easy thing to do,” Olson said, “knowing that she won’t ever wear that anymore.”
In the clothing donation area, workers talked about the crash and the family members they have met.
Pants, shirts and sweaters hung on racks throughout a room in the bottom floor of the building. Workers said they were prepared for other donations that may arrive in the coming days or weeks.
Olson said the victims’ families know the donations mean their loved ones can continue to support Dauphin.
He said his heart breaks for the grief brought on by the crash. But it’s important to see how the community continues to support each other — even at the worst of times.
“We can never ever think what we have can’t be used somewhere else,” he said.
Support Our Seniors
Meanwhile, the Dauphin and District Community Foundation has started a fund to support seniors, in honour of the crash victims.
Lots of people wanted to donate to the community but weren’t sure how, said Martijn van Luijn, Dauphin’s economic development manager and a board member for the foundation.
“So we took a little bit of time figuring out what would work … and we came up with a bit of a plan,” he said.
“We started a new fund to support our seniors, which is just like any other fund with a community foundation [in that it] will perpetually stay.”
The donations, starting with $50,000 from Wawanesa Insurance, will generate interest that will provide dollars for seniors programming, equipment and activities, Van Luijn said.
“I am in awe with my community. If there is a silver lining in situations such as this, it’s that you don’t get a lot of opportunities to show and see the strength in the community, and it’s so obvious right now,” he said.
“We’re never going to forget the people, we’re never going to forget the accident, but we’re also not going to forget how we as a community came together.”
People can donate to the Support Our Seniors fund in person at Dauphin’s city hall (100 Main St. S.), call (toll free 1-877-974-3631, locally at 204-638-4598) or give online through the foundation’s website.
