Fodchuk comments on first ever Welcome Week in Weyburn

Welcome Week last week in Weyburn was an opportunity to show support for newcomers. 

While the welcoming signs being offered for free through the Weyburn Chamber of Commerce didn't make it to the windows of very many homes and businesses, this was the first year the Southeast Newcomer Services and Southeast Advocates for Employment tried out the initiative.

"Next year we'll see about maybe going door to door handing them out and asking businesses to put them in their windows instead of people having to pick them up. We just tried to see if that would work for the Chamber this year," said Shannon Fodchuk with Southeast Advocates For Employment.

She said Welcome Week isn't the only time to welcome newcomers to Weyburn. In fact, they see newcomers settling here year round.

"Every week there's new ones coming through, and a lot of them don't come to our office. Sometimes they have family here that they already know what to do to be settled into Weyburn," she noted. "But it's definitely steady."

Fodchuk said many come in regularly from India, and from Ukraine. Many whose communities of origin have strong representation in Weyburn, such as the Filipino community, help out their own newcomers.

"So a lot of them, we don't see come through our door."

The local newcomers, including four groups from India, brought their own show of support to the Taste of the Nations event on Friday, September 15th. Read more HERE.

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