Ongoing Donations Leave SM Local 8 Member “Floored”

Craig Bellerose, SM LU 8, on Facebook (lightly edited for web)
So I was in my stewards course today, and our BM came in briefly to shoot the breeze with the class. He told us that he just opened some mail and our hall had received another six-figure check from the International. It was something to the tune 120 grand.
See, we had a huge fire in our northern part of the province—it actually was our country’s largest natural disaster. Fort McMurray had to evacuate 80,000 people, hundreds of houses where lost and people were displaced for quite some time, and we are still rebuilding. This place is a second home to many that work away from home, and many have taken permanent residence there cause that’s our bread and butter—the oil industry.
Anyway, it turns out this is the second check, so the money is a total of over 250 grand or so. Sure, the insurance and government kicked in [other aid], but this money is just because we stand together as Brothers and Sisters. This money came from more than one hall and individual, and is definitely gonna help some members who lost their homes up there. I was floored and so was the rest of our class.
Much respect and thanks to you folks down south across the boarder and across our country. When people ask why I am in a union this memory will def be one response as to why.