Refugee Family Sponsorship Meeting on September 30

Refugee Family Sponsorship Meeting on September 30

The community is invited to attend the "Refugee Family Sponsorship" information meeting:

Date:          Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Time:          7:00pm
Location:     Room # 1 (Main Floor) Sonora Community Centre
Contact:      Michael and Vera Ryan (250.495.6960 / ryfam@telus.net)

Message from Michael and Vera Ryan

We’re very happy to report that our pastor, Fr. Dave DeSouza, and St. Anne’s Catholic Church have endorsed us to spearhead a project to sponsor a refugee family to Osoyoos.  Our congregation, however, felt they were too small a group to undertake this project by themselves, so they decided to engage the entire Osoyoos community.

Consequently, we have arranged for a General Information Meeting at the Sonora Centre (Room #1 on the main floor) for Wednesday, September, 30 at 7:00pm.  We are contacting other churches, service clubs and various groups, as well as the general public. 

Would you please bring this email to the attention of your club members, friends and neighbours and encourage them to attend our first Information Meeting.  We hope to see you and many other residents there to begin the process of rescuing a refugee family from the terrible death, destruction and poverty of the Middle East. 

We have a lot of good information about the process and success of other groups to share with you. There will be a representative from an Oliver group that just recently heard that their application for a family of 5 was approved.  Their family could arrive in a month! 

Various Tasks for Settlement Needs of the Refugees:

1. Steering Committee Member
2. Housing
3. Employment
4. Donations/Fundraising
5. Media information/Communication
6. Gathering of furniture, household items, clothing, etc.
7. Welcoming:  pickup at airport,
8. English instruction and life skills training
9. Doctor and Dentist
10. School Liaison/Tutoring
11. Banking Guidance
12. Government forms:  interim Federal Health, B.C. Medical, SIN,
13. Locating interpreters
14. Drivers, etc.