Months of hard work are paying off for the Barrhead Community Support Group. After receiving word that their application to support a Gambian national had been accepted April 28, co-chair Rita Lyster said they are making preparations to hold an emergency meeting for anyone interested in working with him, adding the notice caught the members themselves off guard.
“We are madly scrambling to get everything done for when Buba Banda comes to Barrhead on May 6,” Lyster said, adding the impromptu meeting that will be an orientation workshop, will be held at the Barrhead United Church at 6:30 p.m. on May 3.
“All of the roles that need to be filled, whether that relates to health, education, employment, or something else, all of those will be assigned at the meeting,” she said, adding someone has already been selected to receive Banda at the airport.
“Hopefully by Tuesday we’ll have housing sorted,” she added.
Ralph Helder, co-chair of the group, said he would be contacting Habitat for Humanity as they have previously stated they would be providing household furnishings.
“We may still need some additional items and will require someone to go to the Edmonton Habitat Restore facility to pick up the things that are needed,” he said, adding anyone interested in doing so should contact the group.
“Anyone interested in working with us is encouraged to come to our next meeting,” Lyster added.
The group has been working towards this goal since Nov. 26.
