Day off

Several months ago we started working on a plan to start an emergency shelter for women and families in Saskatoon. There is a significant need. Many days one can walk through the lobby of the YWCA in Saskatoon and see women and children just sitting there hoping a room opens up. The Salvation Army EAH worker puts families and women in crisis in hotels each and every night. I have worked that desk and it is hard. You want to do more but the resources are not available many times to really deal with the problem.

In many ways it has been an excellent project to be a part of. It was a lot of work and a lot of questions had to be answered. Tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. I am in a meeting where there will be more questions from the federal and provincial governments. Along the way the project has "died" a couple of times where we would go home and the next day just stare at a spreadsheet and try to find some new way to make it work. Our boardroom was full many times with us just looking at numbers, trying to figure out trends, or arguing with each other over operational plans and a philosophy of ministry. We had a three day argument over a building and I came back to work after a day of debating with my colleagues to say, "I agree with you guys now." They looked at me and said, "Actually we are agreeing with what you said yesterday." Our whiteboard was full of advantages and disadvantages, budget numbers, and a way we could figure out how to slip a hot tub and spa by our boss (not much luck on that count but then again maybe we shouldn’t have written our secret hot tub plan out on the whiteboard). Slowly all of those debates, plans, arguments, more plans, coffee, and work all started to pay off. We got approval from the people we needed to get approval from in the Salvation Army and the government. We found a property that is amazing and could a place of hope, safety, and healing to those that need it. We were preparing for one last series of meetings with the feds…. then we got a phone call stating that our house was about to be sold. We didn’t think we were ready or would have time to counter offer and we all left the office feeling pretty low and frustrated. Yeah other houses would become available but this one was ideal.

Today was my day off. I went in to deal with a technical issue and to prepare for tomorrow’s meeting for an hour. I left feeling pretty frustrated. Around noon I got a phone call saying that someone from headquarters wanted to see the building and could I go with her. I agreed and we went over. She liked the building and I had faint hope that maybe we could persuade the owner to give us a little extra time but didn’t expect the tour to take more then 20 minutes. As I was anticipating us leaving and thinking that this was a blown day off, the realtor and her started talking about making an offer. The next thing I knew is the deal was being made and the Centre was putting a conditional offer on the house.

There is still some obstacles to overcome and conditions to be met but what a difference a day makes. It was a pretty good way to "waste" a day off. It will open a little later than what we had hoped but by it will be up and running by the end of the year and well before hockey tournament season (when hotel space gets tight in Saskatoon). The end result is up to 12 more families and 8 single women will be safer, warmer, and better fed each night.

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08/20/2008 | Saskatoon, work | Comments

3 Responses to “Day off”

Posted by: Mike O - 08/21/2008

Good work dude!

All that persistence pays off for many fortunate women and children.

Maybe it will be the turning point that prevents more “Angry Aguilar” obits?
Posted by: Linea - 08/21/2008

Its good to hear that this is getting closer.
Posted by: On the home front… « Wendy Cooper’s Weblog - 08/24/2008

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