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Valley humanitarian association assists with showers and clean clothes

Helping those to help themselves
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Steven Guenther, executive director of the Wiseland Humanitarian Association in Courtenay. Photo by Ali Roddam

Clean clothes and a hot shower can make such a difference for someone, according to Steven Guenther, executive director of the Wiseland Humanitarian Association.

Wiseland has a diverse group of volunteers from all walks of life like persons of colour, First Nations peoples, the elderly and disabled people.

Providing laundry vouchers and hot showers to the Valley’s homeless population was an outgrowth of the medieval reenactment society Guenther participated in, the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA).

“When we do the SCA we go out and invade a park with a couple 100 people for a weekend,” said Guenther. “When you’re running around in a suit of armour for five or six hours, afterwards you need a shower.”

He built portable showers that he drove out to these reenactments, and the idea to provide showers to people in need came about.

From there Guenther said it turned into a not-for-profit and then into a charity.

He said the intent was to practise the medieval code of chivalry, which he said refers to the fact that those who can help should help.

Guenther said he knows he can’t solve their problems, but he can help them get clean and feel a little better. He said the work that Wiseland does provides a hand up, which enables people to essentially help themselves.

“I’m trying to motivate people and help them towards helping themselves,” he said. “If I get you a shower, then you can get clean, you feel better, you can go face your world a bit easier.”

The City of Courtenay is taking over the shower program, providing free, hot showers at the Lewis Centre to those in need, instead of vouchers being handed out.

Anyone seeking a hot shower will need their own towel and hygiene products, which Wiseland will provide.

The Comox Valley Transition Society runs an early morning shower program from 9 a.m. until noon, and anytime after that, it will be through the city. The process simply requires individuals to sign in at the Lewis Centre to have access to the facilities.

Guenther says organizers are trying to normalize the process so that those needing a shower are not treated differently from anyone else using the facility.

The laundry program has been running since 2019 and Guenther said the voucher program results in about 1,000 loads of laundry per year. He added vouchers for laundry get handed out Mondays and Fridays at the soup kitchen, and the vouchers are good for one full service at The Laundry on Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay.

“There’s regular loads and large loads, and the large loads let people do their sleeping bags and blankets,” he said.

Wiseland also hands out toilet paper, and Guenther noted they hand out about 4,000 rolls a year.

“It takes care of a basic sanitation need,” he said. “Toilet paper is used for a lot of other things when you’re living on the street…I’m kind of known as the toilet paper guy.”

Wiseland relies on grants and fund raises around town. Guenther said the community in the Valley has supported Wiseland and helped them continue to provide services to the people who need them.

“The people of this town are very generous, they’ve helped out a lot. We’ve got grant applications in, we’re waiting for grants. As long as the grants come through the programs are stable. At this point, both the laundry, the showers and the toilet paper are secured for 2023.”

As for the future, Guenther said there are projects they would like to pursue, but the first priority is maintaining the current efforts.



photos@comoxvalleyrecord.com

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