May 1st marked a historic day for the Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society.
Ground has been broken and work can officially get underway at the future site of Kirsten’s Place, the first physical emergency shelter in Mountain View County.
Over 100 people were on hand for the event on Wednesday, all braving the snow and cold to take in a legacy moment for the Town of Olds.
The ceremony featured some words by dignitaries including Mayor of the Town of Olds, Judy Dahl and a special blessing from Elder John Sinclair.
President of the Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society, Joe Carignan, also took to the podium to share more about the Society’s history and reflect on some hard work over the past 15 years.
MVESS first officially took shape in 2009, when it was registered as a society.
Carignan was emotional at Wednesday’s ceremony.
“It’s very gratifying, it’s hard to find the words right now. It’s been a long time coming, it’s just the start but it means a lot to me.”
He adds that funds will need to keep coming in to support the operations of the shelter.
“we still have fundraising to do, for fencing and to furnish it, but that comes down the road. The first step is building it.”
Carignan thanked Tara McDonald and Emilie Webb for the work they do with the Outreach Society, along with all his board members and volunteers who have helped to make Kirsten’s Place a reality.
Webb and McDonald both shared some words about the work they do, speaking on how a physical shelter will transform the way they provide their services and care.
Carignan added that he hopes construction can be completed by the end of 2024, with plans to start digging as soon as the pesky snow disappears.
Support the Mountain View Emergency Shelter on May 15th, as we call for donations and auction bids with the Royal LePage Wild Rose Real Estate Radiothon on 96.5 CKFM.
