Michael and Vera Ryan are spearheading an effort through St. Anne’s Catholic Parish to sponsor a refugee family to come to Osoyoos. Michael Ryan is a former Osoyoos town councillor. They are looking for community support. (Richard McGuire photo)
Michael and Vera Ryan, the local couple spearheading an effort to bring a refugee family to Osoyoos, said they were delighted with the turnout at a community meeting last Wednesday.
More than 40 people attended the meeting at the Sonora Community Centre, including Mayor Sue McKortoff, members of different church congregations and others from the community.
“It was very gratifying,” said Vera. “We felt very supported and felt that people were very interested in this project and are wanting to make it a success.”
Also attending were a few snowbirds and occasional holiday residents, suggesting that the refugee situation has been so touching to many, said Michael, a former Osoyoos town councillor.
Although the initiative is being co-ordinated through St. Anne’s Catholic Parish and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson, the Ryans insist that it is a project that would involve the entire community.
“This is a community project, not a Catholic project,” said Vera. “We really feel we need the experience, the energy and commitment of the entire community.”
An eight-member steering committee was formed and others attending signed up to help with various settlement tasks.
Two of those present made financial contributions on the spot, the Ryans said.
Cheques may be made out to St. Anne’s Catholic Church, memo: Refugee Project and can be mailed to P.O. Box 242, Osoyoos, BC V0H 1V0. Donations through the church are considered charitable donations for tax purposes.
The “main attraction” at the meeting, said Michael, was a presentation by the co-chairs of the Oliver Refugee Committee, Louise Szalay and Dale Dodge, who were involved in similar efforts to bring a Syrian refugee family of five to Oliver. That family is due to arrive in late October.
“I think they allayed people’s fears,” said Michael. “They covered it so thoroughly that everybody felt really good about how it happens and how the whole process works and what to expect.”
Dodge told the meeting that the Oliver committee sent solicitation letters to 100 of their friends they knew could afford it asking for $100.
They also advertised in the newspaper inviting public donations.
The Oliver committee is confident they will reach their goal of $20,000 to support their family for the first year as they get established, the Ryans said.
The Government of Canada also provides a commitment roughly equivalent to six months of welfare and the community tops it up, said Michael.
The consensus at the meeting was that the community should sponsor a Syrian refugee family, even though few Syrian families have yet been processed.
It would be left to the steering committee to set the specific criteria for the family to be sponsored.
In the case of Oliver, the community chose a family with some English skills and with a father who has worked in the tourism and hospitality industries.
“They thought there was a bit of a fit there,” said Michael. “It looks like he could possibly get a job here in that industry. So you have your criteria and you can perhaps be a little more confident that the integration and the success of the settlement would be achieved.”
The Ryans said they were a little bit apprehensive after reading some negative comments from a few people about their efforts, but there were no negative voices at last week’s meeting.
“Some people in the community I think have some fears about allowing undesirables in,” said Vera. “But we feel confident that the United Nations High Commission on Refugees is doing their job processing refugees, registering them and so on and the Canadian government has their process in place and we feel confident that we can rely on them.”
The Ryans said they haven’t determined exactly how much money will need to be raised, but given Oliver’s experience, they expect it to be between $20,000 and $25,000. It will depend in part on rental costs and the size of the family.
Besides finances, volunteers from the community will help with other settlement tasks including assisting the family to find employment, arranging schooling, helping them outfit their home, and helping them to set up doctors, dentists and banking.
“Just cultural and geographic orientation,” said Michael. “Where to source some of the foods they need and those kinds of things. It will be a real hands-on sort of neighbourly friendship.”
Copies of information and sign-up sheets are available at the Osoyoos Times office and involvement in the refugee sponsorship project is welcome at any time. Michael and Vera Ryan can be contacted at 250-495-6960 or at [email protected].
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
