Rosenort cousins talk about trials and tribulations in flood zone
Cousins Debbie Friesen and Lindsay Siemens sat huddled together in an oversized arm-chair at the Holiday Inn South in Winnipeg thinking about the recent flood evacuation from their farming community, Rosenort, a 15 minute drive from Morris.
Their
parents passed around photos showing the thousands of sandbags that
encircled their properties as well as the smiling soldiers who posed
dutifully for their cameras. While the adults were relishing their
newly obtained treasures, Lindsay and Debbie were decidely
unhappy.
"You're worried about what's going to happen. People are saying we're so lucky because this is like a holiday but I miss the normal routine," Debbie said. "I even miss school already."
The Friesen family arrived at the hotel five days prior to the interview. Lindsay was down from Steinbach saying goodbye to her boyfriend who was going back to the flood zone to try to save his house.
Debbie has not had a chance to take her exams and is unsure if her marks will be pro-rated or if she'll be expected to complete them at a later date. Lindsay's mother pointed out the irony that her daughter was a 1979 flood baby and might not be able to graduate because of the 1997 flood.
Students stopped attending school in the affected flood areas since everyone in the community was expected to help out by sandbagging, cooking for the sandbaggers or packing up their stuff. Debbie and Lindsay lugged about 200 sandbags each.
"We actually got days off school to sandbag. A bus-full of kids from the city also came to sandbag," Lindsay said. "It was hard. Our muscles really hurt."
The cousins have a lot of time to kill and try to keep themselves occupied by going to movies, restaurants and laser games. Most of all though, the pair misses their friends and family.
"Everyone's scattered throughout the province. We don't know where some of our relatives are," Debbie said. "And if we want to call each other, it's long distance."
Geral
Dreyer, 14, was playing with his younger brothers in a recreation
room set up by the staff at the Holiday Inn South Winnipeg for flood
evacuees. The family was evacuated from their hometown, Emerson, to
St-Norbert and then evacuated again to Winnipeg.
In his spare time, he hangs out at the mall, helps others to sandbag and works on the flood packets his school in Dominion gave him for independent study.
Aerial view of the Winnipeg floods.
"Most of our time is spare time," he said. "We're just waiting it out."
His family worked with their neighbour for four days in a row to build dikes around their houses with 3,500 sandbags. Geral, though, seems more intent on his Micromachine Millitary troops, the only toy he was able to bring with him, than on the commotion surrounding the floods.
"I don't feel said. I just get worried about the house," he said. "Sometimes I wonder if the basement is all filled up."
Originally from South Africa, Geral was surprised by the generosity in Canada explaining that in South Africa, it's everyone for themselves.
"My mom says she's amazed at how Canadian people work together,"
he said. "Everyone here pitches in together."
Two
young reserves in the Canadian army travelled three days with their
combat brigade from Petawawa, Ontario to Winnipeg, Manitoba to help
with the flood clean-up, restore phone lines and ensure security.
Travis Short, 21, and Michelle Todd, 20, joked about their trip up in an army jeeb with their fellow reserve officers. They were part of a 35 vehicle convoy that arrived at 2 :00 am the previous morning.
"Most of us sit in the back on cushion seats," Travis said. "Usually someone brings a boom box so we can keep our spirits up."
Initially, the brigade was supposed to head out to Gagetown, New Brunswick, but plans were changed at the last minute due to the worsening situation in Winnipeg. Michelle anticipates that they will be staying at least two months.
Travis lamented about the cold Winnipeg weather but was hoping to make up for it by attending the Kiss concert in Winnipeg which was held several hours after this interview.