It can get pretty hot in summertime here in the southeast, which is why the Weyburn Salvation Army offers their facility as a 'Cooling Station'. This summer, the organization's entire supply of water bottles and freezies for those who need to take advantage of the cool-off option has been sponsored by the NSWB Law Firm.

"We want to make sure everybody in our community is okay, and they have a safe place to go to cool down, because these temperatures are extreme these next few weeks, so it's nice to offer that to the community, and if anybody sees anybody in the community that needs to cool down, just let them know where we are," said Family Services Assistant Shannon Fodchuk.

She shared how to take advantage of the program.

"Come into our building, our Community and Family Services building, or even the Thrift Store," she explained. "If they just come in and wander around or say that they need to sit down, they can come into our back area. We have some some chairs out. And just if they say that they need water, our staff knows where all of our water is kept."

NSWB Partner Mike Weger shared why they chose to support the organization in this way, at this time.

"Well, just as one of the businesses in town, we've taken an initiative to obviously make an impact in our community, and we realized that oftentimes it's through supporting sports teams, or, you know, different fund raising events that are going on," he said.

"But this month we took a look at the Salvation Army and all of the good work that they do in our community, and it's almost like there's a sort of a ongoing need at the Salvation Army for some support from the community and they're doing some great work, especially very recently with the heat wave we've been going through."

He said the Cooling Stations were an initiative they could get behind in a really tangible way.

"So we made a financial contribution to assist them with carrying out that program. We always appreciate the Salvation Army because they're there to give that helping hand to some of the less fortunate members of our community and they can't be forgotten."

Weger noted there are some people who don't have air conditioning and don't have the the pleasure of grabbing a freezie from the freezer.

"You know, or even a cold glass water sometimes, so by setting this up, anyone can go down to the Salvation Army on these hot days and get a nice cold drink, go inside, cool off," he commented. "And for the kids I guess they've got a freezer full of freezies there as well, so it's pretty nice."

NSWB also donated two hundred pounds of food to the Salvation Army Food Bank.

"They recently had a food drive for us," noted Fodchuk. "So they had customers and just people in Weyburn drop off food donations to their law firm, and then they brought it over to us. So they've had about 200 lbs of food that they dropped off."

Weger said they held a food drive at their offices to help drum up some publicity for the Salvation Army, and inspire others to donate in any way they can.

"You go in your pantry, and you see some things that maybe you've overstocked or over bought on, well, why not grab them, throw them into a bag and and take them down to Salvation Army? They'll be put to good use."

He also put a challenge out to other businesses to, "maybe take a take a page out of our playbook and set up a table and collect some donations for them."

Weger could not praise his staff enough for their eagerness to be part of such initiatives.

 

"I've got 10 legal assistants here, and myself ,and an articling student, and my staff are just, anytime I get an idea like this, they're always so quick to get behind it and tell their family and friends."

He said the food drive also gave them all a chance to reconnect to their clients.

"A big thanks to my staff and our clients," Weger added.

Fodchuk reminded they welcome anybody in the community into the Salvation Army buildings when it's hot out, or anytime.

"They're just welcome to stay and hang out until they're ready to go back outside," she iterated, noting the Cooling Stations have been a long term, yet low-key, mainstay for the organization worldwide.

"So with these hot days, so we just want to make sure everybody knows we are welcoming everybody into the building just to come and cool down, have some water."