The Editor:
This past month has shown me that the phrase 鈥測ou can鈥檛 go home again,鈥� is utter nonsense.
For the past month my wife and I have been on an emotional roller coaster. We lost everything we own in one of the largest natural disasters in Canadian history.
We have questions whose answers will affect the rest of our lives, but we don鈥檛 have those answers. We have spent hours cataloging our possessions, knowing there is no way we will possibly recoup the dollar amount, let alone the emotional value of some of the unique items. That all being said, Estevan has really carried us through this.
The second our story hid the media, I was flooded with messages and phone calls with people offering help and support. It was really amazing. One of those people was Michael Dawson and he informed me that Library Voices wished to do a benefit for us.
It is more difficult than you would think to accept the offers of help and assistance, but our situation has become more and more uncertain as the weeks have passed, so I am extremely glad I said yes.
It was a great day and it was really awesome to see so many familiar faces and chatting with people who provided comforting words. Both the day of the benefit and in the weeks prior, we received financial assistance from family, friends, some from folks I haven鈥檛 seen in years and some from complete strangers (including the Grade 4 class at Oxbow School who are no longer strangers but definitely our friends).
We can鈥檛 thank you all enough. We know times are tough and the mere fact you thought of giving means the world to us.
Thanks to Jeff Pierson and the staff of the Beef, Mike Dawson and Library Voices, Joel Henderson and everyone who came to the benefit.
You can go home again, especially when you need it the most.
Thank you all.
Nolan and Jenine Haukeness
Fort McMurray, Alta.
