Armstrong Spallumcheen Refugee Project (ASREP) will hold its second community meeting on Thursday, Nov. 12, in Armstrong at the Pleasant Valley Secondary School auditorium.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
Guest speaker will be Jake Spoor of East Hill Community Church in Vernon.
“East Hill’s refugee sponsorship began with the Vietnamese boat people in the 1980s when they welcomed four families to Vernon,” said Ron Brinnen, co-founder of ASREP.
“In 2012 the church decided to again sponsor refugees from elsewhere in the world where many people are doomed to spend the rest of their lives in refugee camps.”
In 2013, East Hill welcomed a couple from Myanmar.
Spoor will outline the process taken to bring these people to Canada, their success here and how they have enriched the greater community. A question-and-answer session will follow Jake’s presentation.
ASREP is hoping to bring a Syrian family of six to the community.
Other issues that will be dealt with at the meeting include ASREP recognizing Janet Gillis’ PVSS leadership class and Adrenalin Dance Team who took the initiative to organize a bake sale during election day. They raised more than $1,000.
“The ASREP fundraising campaign now begins in earnest,” said Brinnen. “The various ways of donating will be outlined.”
A fundraising garage sale, being organized by Rose Kalin, will be held at St. Joseph’s on Friday, Nov. 13, Saturday, Nov. 14 and Sunday, Nov. 15. Donations may be dropped off during the sale or on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday preceding the sale.
