Tis An ILL Wind

" Tis an ill wind that blows nobody any good."

The last couple of days a bitterly cold, bone chilling north wind has been blowing. This morning there was snow on the ground. Trying to keep warm during cold Alberta winters is a definite challenge to Edmonton's homeless population.Last winter several homeless people froze to death before anyone found them. One case in particular struck home. She was pregnant. We knew her well. The Ministry Van had served her often giving her food, clothing and a ride to a shelter. One of our Ministry Van workers had even gone to school with her. He felt a profound sense of guilt when one cold morning she was found frozen to death behind a building. He felt that he should have done more for her but we had done what we could. Another sad case was a man in a wheel chair who had been on the streets many years. He had been found frozen in snowbanks so many times that he eventually had to have both legs amputated. He was still out there last winter, struggling to keep warm.

Winter is not an easy time of year for any of us, how much worse it is for those who do not have a warm home where they can escape the merciless weather. Please remember to give generously this winter to the agencies that assist the poor and the homeless.