The Qualicum Refugee Support Group (QRSG) is up and running.
On Feb. 6, at the invitation of the Town of Qualicum Beach, 165 people gathered to discuss support for Syrian refugees. More than two-thirds of those said they were interested in helping and by Feb. 16, twelve people had taken the initial steps to form the support group.
Since then people have begun to step forward to offer specific assistance and by
March 15 the QRSG expects to complete the steps necessary to be a constituent group under one of Vancouver Island’s sponsorship agreement holders (SAH). If the energy demonstrated so far continues, area SAH advisor Tony Davis expects that Qualicum Beach could welcome a Syrian family by the summer.
The QRSG group is co-chaired by Carol Doering and John Cormie and the members bring a variety of skills, knowledge and experience, including a health care worker, ESL teacher, building contractor, professor, financial manager and filmmaker.
Each has taken responsibility for a specific area like housing, furnishing, schooling, health care, transportation, fundraising, communications and financial management and have already enrolled in their first sponsor training seminar.
People can get involved or request a speaker for their own group by e-mailing qualicumrsg@telus.net. To donate contact Ramsay Farran at ramsayferran@gmail.com or 250-974-7031. Donations greater than $100 are tax deductible
— Submitted by the QRSG
