Dear editor,
With reference to the letter "What about Maple Pool? Duh!" (Record, July 25), like a number of others, I phoned the writer Summer Joy.
People were asking her, "What can we do?"
Last fall, I met Jin Lin when we both became members of the Refugee Committee. Jin works hard to make the world a better place for others whether running the Maple Pool campsite, helping bring two Syrian refugee camp families to the Comox Valley or supporting immigrants through the multi-cultural association.
I also phoned Jin. What had come to mind for me was to form a Friends of Maple Pool advocacy group — which won’t be necessary. There are already supporters who have put up the website www.mapleliving.ca.
There are a number of short videos on the site so you can get the full story. What the Lins have achieved at Maple Pool is a sense of community and safety for 54 residents who could otherwise be homeless.
Whether you are one of those who resents the idea of the City spending your tax dollars on a needless lawsuit (More support for campsite, Record July 27) and/or one of the many, many humanitarians in the Comox Valley, please support the Lins and the residents of Maple Pool by going to www.mapleliving.ca/c/yoursupportplease.html and adding your name to the Public Support Declaration.
I envision the City dropping the demands to evict Maple Pool tenants (and other unfair demands) and instead using the monies (along with the regional district) to replicate the success at Maple Pool!
Zone for similar small communities in appropriate, private locations. As well as a roof over their heads, the homeless deserve to be valued members of a community.
There is value to our larger community, too, with lower policing and healthcare costs.
Let’s go beyond the Maple Pool situation and finally put an end to homelessness in the Comox Valley. Please join me in this endeavour.
I have lots of fresh new ideas to share and expect to work in partnership with existing organizations. E-mail me at endhomelessnesscv@yahoo.ca.
Bev Howden,
Courtenay